Cauliflower-Bacon Gratin

With the quantity of eggs involved, this seemed more like a big, crustless quiche than a gratin. But no matter what you call it, it was delicious. The recipe instructions, measurements, and cooking time were all spot on, and the dish was easy to put together. As rich as it is, I’d serve it as a main dish, with salad greens on the side. It’ll definitely be making a return appearance at my house.

Decadent, delicious, and easy to prepare. I ate it hot out of the oven, at room temperature, and cold, right out of the fridge. The only issue I had was that it took 15 minutes longer in the oven than the recipe stated. If I were to make it again, I’d roast the cauliflower rather than boil it, to give it a little more intense flavor.

Delicious and easy! And the best part: my vegetable-adverse toddler gobbled it up. You can’t go wrong with Dorie.

This recipe is definitely one I’ll make again—but with the amount of heavy cream, whole milk, and eggs, it’s more of an indulgence than an everyday meal. The cauliflower and bacon played off of each other nicely, both enhanced by the cheesy custard. This is a good alternative to cauliflower in cheese sauce, which tends to be my favorite (and default) preparation for the vegetable. Next time, I might experiment with reducing the fat content and number of whole eggs, so I feel justified in making this more often.

I was partial to this recipe for a few reasons: a) I love Dorie Greenspan, and use her baking book for 90 percent of the desserts I make. b) I love bacon. c) I love cauliflower. d) I love French food. Happily, the dish was indeed very good: warm, homey, and comforting. One quibble: For a dish like this where it’s impossible to taste as you go, I’d have preferred a set measurement for salt. As it is, I’m a pretty heavy hand with salt, and the dish was still underseasoned.

I served this as a side with sautéed pork chops, and it was a big hit. It puffed up beautifully; all golden brown around the edges and cheesy on top. It would make a nice lunch with a salad and some crusty bread, too.

The gratin came out of the oven looking very appetizing—golden brown on top, and bubbly all around. It tastes as good as it looks. I loved the delicate texture of the twice-cooked cauliflower and the hint of smoky bacon. With heavy cream, whole milk, and cheese, it was very hearty and rich, making it a dish that easily could be served as a main dish. TIP: It’s important that you get rid of as much moisture from the cauliflower before assembling the gratin. Otherwise you’ll end up with a soupy sauce instead of a creamy sauce that clings to the cauliflower. I also recommend steaming the cauliflower.

This recipe is ideal autumn comfort food, with the cheese, bacon, cream, and nutmeg. Initially, when I added the flour and eggs together, the mixture was a little lumpy, but this came out all right when the cream and milk was added. After 15 minutes of cooking, I turned the oven down slightly and moved the dish down in the oven, as it was already browning. I cooked the dish for the amount of time specified in the recipe and found that although the knife came out clean, there was still a little of the mixture that was runny within the dish—which I liked. Next time, I might not add the cheese to the egg/cream/milk mix, instead adding some of the sauce to the cauliflower/bacon in the gratin dish, sprinkling the cheese in gradually, as I found it all ended up on the top of the dish anyway.

Cauliflower turned into a mild, but flavorful, platform for cheese, cream, and spices—how could it go wrong? The dish doesn’t take long to make—an hour start to finish or so—and the steps aren’t particularly complex. I’ve made it twice. My quibble is that there’s no guidance provided for the spices. Nutmeg is a strong flavor and only a little bit is needed. I grated fresh nutmeg into the dish both times, so I don’t have precise measurements, but it was about 1/4 teaspoon. Also, I used more salt and pepper than I would normally think to use because I knew that eggs, cream, and vegetable combo would mask the salt of the bacon and cheese. I used one mounded teaspoon of kosher salt and almost a teaspoon of pepper the first time, and it really could have used more salt. The second time I used about 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and that was perfect. All in all, a delicious side/main dish that I’ll make again.

I made two versions of this gratin: One with bacon and one without (for my non-meat-eating friends). Both versions were wonderful. No one wanted to believe the gratin was made with cauliflower and not potatoes. If you decide to make the gratin without bacon, I’d suggest adding sun-dried tomatoes, olives, or capers to give it a boost. One note on pan size: I used a larger casserole dish (between 2 1/2 and 3 quarts) and the gratin looked a bit skimpy. Next time, I’ll try a 2-quart dish so it looks more substantial.