Cauliflower Gratin with Easy White Sauce (No Cream）

This gratin is similar to the English cauliflower cheese, with an easy white sauce which everyone can make. Sweet peppers are added for more nutrients.

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What is Gratin?

According to Wikipedia, Gratin is a dish or a cooking technique that originated in France, mainly refers to a dish with a layer of bread crumbs or cheese baked until golden.

There are many variations, which can be chicken, white fish, seafood such as shrimp, and various vegetables. Most of the white sauce contains cream.

Cooking Gratin is not difficult. Cook your favourite vegetables (with short pasta), make a super simple white sauce, mix altogether, sprinkle over cheese, and bake until golden.

A Simple White Sauce for Gratin

For the white sauce, I took reference from a Japanese recipe which only needs 4 ingredients: milk, butter, plain flour and bouillon powder (or salt).

Stir all the ingredients slowly until thickened, that’s it! Everyone can do it! I also added turmeric powder for the bright and beautiful colour.

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Cauliflower Gratin with Easy White Sauce (No Cream）Recipe

It’s similar to the English dish – cauliflower cheese, but with added sweet peppers for more vegetables intake.The easy white sauce is learned from a Japanese recipe.

Ingredients

Makes 21 x 15 x 7cm (IKEA 1L glass container）

• 300 g cauliflower, cut into small florets
• ¼ red pepper, diced
• ¼ green pepper, diced
• 40 g macaroni (or other short pasta)
• cheese for baking
• salt and pepper

For the White Sauce

• 10 g butter
• 2 tbsp plain flour
• ¼ tsp salted vegetable bouillon powder
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder
• 200 ml milk

How to Make

1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the macaroni according to the packet’s instructions. Then drain and set aside.
2. Preheat the oven to 200ºC.
3. Meanwhile, heat 1 tbsp of oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Sauté the cauliflower and peppers until lightly coloured. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper, and transfer to an oven-safe container.
4. In the same pan, put in all the white sauce ingredients. Then turn on to a low heat and keep stirring. Once the sauce has thickened, have a taste and adjust accordingly.
5. Return the cooked macaroni and the white sauce with the cauliflower. Mix well.
6. Sprinkle cheese on top, as much as you want, bake until the cheese turned golden. I served it with a basic German red cabbage salad.