Cauliflower may have nothing to do with those dull cooked vegetables we associate it with since childhood. You just have to know how to cook it so that it becomes one of the best dishes on the table. And this recipe from French chef Stéphanie Le Quellec, with two Michelin stars, is definitive proof.
Their proposal consists of taking the classic Italian pasta “cacio e pepe” to the vegetal terrain. That is to say: change the spaghetti for cauliflower and preserve the magic of a creamy sauce where the stars are cheese and black pepper. The result is elegant, tasty and much lighter than the typical cauliflower gratin with bechamel.
In addition, it has that French twist that makes the difference thanks to the liquid cream and salted (or semi-salted) butter, two ingredients that make the recipe especially unctuous.
The first thing is to melt the butter in a large frying pan. When it is ready, we place the whole cauliflower inside and cover it with the fat while it browns slightly on the outside. Yes, you understood correctly: it does not have to be cut into pieces but rather cooked whole so that it is juicy and looks spectacular when served.
Then, we put the cauliflower in the oven, preheated to 170 degrees, and roast it for about 45 minutes. Meanwhile, we are preparing the sauce. To do this, we mix the broth and liquid cream in a saucepan and add the toasted and ground black pepper.
Cook over low heat and let the sauce reduce by approximately a quarter. That will be the time to add the grated cheese and stir well until you get a homogeneous and well emulsified mixture.
To serve, we place a generous base of the sauce on a platter, put the freshly roasted cauliflower on top and cover with a little more sauce on top. We finish with fresh arugula leaves and more grated cheese.
The result is one of those dishes that look like they come from an expensive restaurant, but are made at home without any difficulty and for almost no money. And, by the way, you achieve something even more difficult like making everyone want to repeat cauliflower.
Cover photo | @steflequellec
