Artichoke hearts and cauliflower baked with a cheesy sauce...I imagined it'd be like a broccoli and cheese sort of casserole and that it'd be delicious. Plus it sounded like it would go well with the chicken breast dish I was planning on trying.
Cheesy Artichokes, Cauliflower and Red Pepper
1 (14-oz.) can quartered artichokes, drained, patted dry, chopped
2/3 c chopped red bell pepper
1/3 c sliced green onions
1 1/2 tbsp butter
1 small garlic clove, minced
1 1/2 tbsp all-purpose flour
3/4 c milk
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1/2 c shredded Gruyère cheese
1/4 c shredded Parmesan cheese
Heat oven to 400°F. Spray a 7x11" baking dish with cooking spray.
Place cauliflower in large microwave-safe bowl; add enough water to come 1/2 inch up sides of bowl. Cover; microwave on high 2 to 3 minutes or until still crisp but starting to soften.
Drain; rinse under cold water to cool. Pat dry or allow to dry on a towel.
2/3 c chopped red bell pepper
1/3 c sliced green onions
1 1/2 tbsp butter
1 small garlic clove, minced
1 1/2 tbsp all-purpose flour
3/4 c milk
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1/2 c shredded Gruyère cheese
1/4 c shredded Parmesan cheese
Heat oven to 400°F. Spray a 7x11" baking dish with cooking spray.
Place cauliflower in large microwave-safe bowl; add enough water to come 1/2 inch up sides of bowl. Cover; microwave on high 2 to 3 minutes or until still crisp but starting to soften.
Drain; rinse under cold water to cool. Pat dry or allow to dry on a towel.
Meanwhile, melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook and stir garlic 30 seconds or until fragrant.
Whisk in flour; cook 1 minute, whisking constantly.
Pour in milk, whisking constantly.
That whisking constantly part means I need my camera hand to serve as my whisking hand.
Bring to a boil, whisking until smooth; add salt and pepper. Boil 1 minute; stir in Gruyére cheese until melted.
Toss cauliflower, artichokes, bell pepper and green onions in large bowl.
Pour hot sauce over vegetables; stir gently to coat.
Spoon vegetables into baking dish; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. (Vegetable mixture can be made to this point 8 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until lightly browned and bubbling.
I was right! This is good! The sauce didn't make the vegetables a wet mess yet it wasn't over the top with cheese. The cauliflower was still firm though tender -- no mush! Artichoke hearts, well, they are soft out of the can anyway but you can forgive them for that since they taste so good. I wondered if the artichokes coupled with cheese would be really salty, but the bland cauliflower balanced it very well. Bell peppers add a little pizzazz and colorful sparkle. It's a keeper! If you prepare meals for the holidays, maybe keep this in mind since it does allow for prep eight hours in advance of baking.
The recipe as written originally has you patting the microwaved cauliflower dry, mixing with the other vegetables and then making the sauce. I much preferred my air dry on towel, make the sauce, and then mix the vegetables method. It saves a few minutes and some hassle. Patting cauliflower dry isn't what I call exciting, so why do it if unnecessary? If you're really worried about extra water, you could roll the cauliflower up in towels for maximum absorption.
Cost:
- cauliflower: $1.67
- artichoke hearts: $2.69
- red bell pepper: $0.91
- green onions: $0.20
- butter: $0.07
- garlic: $0.10
- milk: $0.37
- Gruyere: $1.31
- Parmesan: $0.67
Total: $7.99 or about $1 for each of eight servings. Really, I'll probably get six servings out of it, making them $1.33 each.
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