Cauliflower Au Gratin is a delicious easy to make an alternative to Potatoes Au Gratin that you’ll love making when your craving a comfort food casserole. It combines Healthy Cauliflower, heavy cream, half and half cream, Swiss cheese, parmesan cheese, and smoky ham for an all-star casserole to serve your family.

Have you ever craved your favorite comfort foods yet, though? I think I’ll skip it due to excessive carbs and calories? I definitely have thought the same thing. It was better not to bother eating due to all the carbs and calories, hence how Cauliflower Au Gratin with Ham came to be.

That is exactly why I started going through old recipes, Y’all, to figure out ways to enjoy my favorite comfort food casseroles or something very similar. The Potatoes Au Gratin was one I decided I could do something reasonably minimal to achieve a delicious lower-calorie version of something I love so dearly by omitting the potatoes and substituting cauliflower.

Make no mistake. This isn’t a diet food of any sort. It still retains its rich, delicious, comforting flavors of heavy cream, half and half, as well as real butter and flour, so if you are watching your weight, don’t go overboard. However, enjoy a lower-calorie version to curb that craving for your favorite comfort food.

Update: Hey Y’all, this post is due for an update to the photos and blog post, be sure to stay tuned and see the New and Improved recipe and Images!

Cauliflower Au Gratin with Ham

• One large head of cauliflower, cut into florets

• Kosher salt

• 1 cup of diced smoked ham

• Four tablespoons or (1/2 stick)of unsalted butter, divided

• Four tablespoons of all-purpose flour

• 1/2 cup heavy cream

• 3/4 cup of half and half

• 1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper

• 1/8 teaspoon of grated nutmeg

• 3/4 cup of grated Swiss cheese divided by 2

• 1/2 cup of freshly grated parmesan, divided x2

• One small thinly sliced onion, if desired

Interesting facts to ponder concerning Cauliflower

1. For Cauliflower being such a highly modified plant, the vegetable cauliflower has a long history. The Cauliflower plant has initially been was grown in Asia and around the Mediterranean Sea.

2. Cauliflower has been grown and enjoyed across Europe since the 1500s.

3. The Cauliflower  plant was introduced to France from Genoa, Italy, in the 16th century,  and are featured in Olivier de Serres’ Théâtre de agriculture, as  cauli-fiori  as the Italians call it, which are still relatively rare in France; they hold an honorable place in the garden because of their delicacy.”

4. Cauliflower was first cultivated in Margaretville in 1891 when William F. VanBenschoten planted a handful of seeds on his farm on a mountaintop overlooking the village. The vegetable thrived in the region, and Mr. VanBenschoten’s first crop found a ready market in New York City.

5. Cauliflower is closely related to broccoli, cabbage, kale, turnips, rutabagas, and Brussels sprouts.

6. Cauliflower is a cruciferous vegetable.  It is called this because the flowers have four petals and resemble a Greek cross.

7. Cruciferous vegetables are full of nutrients that may help prevent cancer

8. Cauliflower is a flower that hasn’t fully developed yet

9. Cauliflower leaves are edible, but they do have a more pungent taste than the florets

10. China is the world’s leading producer of cauliflower

11. California produces the most cauliflower –than any other state in the USA. Cauliflower is grown in the Salinas Valley of California, also known as the “Salad Bowl of the World.”

12. Green cauliflower is produced when you cross cauliflower with broccoli.

Cauliflower Au Gratin with Ham

hmccallum

Cauliflower Au Gratin is a delicious easy to make the alternative to Potatoes Au Gratin . It combines Healthy Cauliflower, heavy cream, half and half cream, Swiss cheese, Parmesan cheese, and smoky ham for an all-star casserole to serve your family this winter.

5 from 10 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 mins

Cook Time 35 mins

Total Time 55 mins

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Servings 6

Calories 351 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 large cauliflower cut into florets
• Kosher salt
• 1 cup smoked ham diced
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, or 1/2 stick , divided
• 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• ½ cup heavy cream
• ¾ cup half and half
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ⅛ teaspoon grated nutmeg
• ¾ cup grated Swiss cheese divided by 2
• ½ cup grated parmesan divided x2
• 1 onion small thinly sliced

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Steam the cauliflower florets in a large steamer for 2 to 4 minutes, drain
• While waiting, melt 2 tablespoons of the unsalted butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Add in the flour, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon for 1-2 minutes. Pour the heavy cream and half and half into the butter and flour mixture and stir until it comes to a low simmer, whisking constantly, for 1 minute, or until thickened. Slowly add 3/4 of a cup of freshly grated swiss cheese, stirring constantly till completely melted. Remove the pan from the burner, add 1 teaspoon of salt, pepper, nutmeg, and ½ Parmesan cheese.
• Pour 1/3 of the sauce on the bottom of an 8 by 11 by 2-inch baking dish. Place the drained cauliflower on top and then spread the rest of the sauce evenly on top. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and drizzle over the gratin. Sprinkle with remaining ½ of Parmesan cheese, diced ham, and salt and pepper. Evenly distribute a layer of thinly sliced onions on top of the cauliflower, if desired. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the top, is browned. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Notes

 

Although themccallumsshamrockpatch.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and how ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Under no circumstances will themccallumsshamrockpatch.com be responsible for any loss or damage resulting from your reliance on nutritional information.

 

 

Nutrition

Serving: 01Calories: 351kcalCarbohydrates: 16gProtein: 16gFat: 26gSaturated Fat: 16gCholesterol: 92mgSodium: 561mgPotassium: 606mgFiber: 3gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 817IUVitamin C: 69mgCalcium: 286mgIron: 1mg

Keyword Au Gratin, cauliflower, Ham

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