Try this creamy side from Mark Poiarkoff, executive chef at Vinegar Hill House, for an updated alternative to green bean casserole. Poiarkoff provided the recipe in gram measurements, so time to get out that kitchen scale if you’ve got one. We’ve translated it into cups and tablespoons, but grams will be far more precise.
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For cheese sauce
85g (6 Tbs) butter
75g (1/3 cup) flour
350g (1 1/2 cups) cream
350g (1 1/2 cups) milk
20 strokes nutmeg
1 pinch black pepper
14g (1 Tbs) salt
25g (2 Tbs) sherry vinegar
275g (10 oz) fresh chevre, crumbled (Capriole recommended)
- Put milk, cream, salt, pepper and nutmeg in a small pot on medium heat
- Place butter in a medium size pot on low heat until melted
- Whisk flour into melted butter and let cook for about 5 minutes. Continually whisk
- Pour milk/ cream mixture into butter/ flour mixture
- Slowly bring to a boil while constantly whisking (being sure to scrape bottom of pot). Once the mixture has come to a boil, turn down heat to low
- Add sherry vinegar and cheese. Mix until cheese is just melted and mixture is smooth
For cauliflower
3 medium-sized heads of cauliflower with leaves and cores removed
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees
- Cut cauliflower into florets and toss lightly in oil and a pinch of salt.
- Spread cauliflower out on a baking sheet in a single layer and bake until cauliflower begins to brown (it should not be cooked all the way through).
- Remove from oven and let cool to room temperature.
For breadcrumbs:
17g almonds
7g (two smallish cloves) garlic
10g (about a quarter cup of leaves) parsley
13g (1 Tbs) chili oil
17g ( 4 tsp) olive oil
4g (1 tsp) salt
2 cups Panko breadcrumbs
- Blend almonds, garlic, parsley, chili oil and olive oil in a food processor or blender until fine
- Mix with bread crumbs
- Lay out on sheet tray and bake at 325 degrees until golden brown, about 15 minutes
To assemble gratin
- In a large bowl, mix cooked cauliflower with cheese sauce
- Pour into a buttered 10 x 10 casserole dish
- Top with breadcrumbs and bake at 350 degrees until hot in the center. Serve immediately