Richard Guha is a member of the Silver Fern Board of Advisors, startup advisor, and Entrepreneur in Residence at Sacred Heart University.
For Silver Fern’s What’s on My Plate Series, Richard shared a favorite family dish: Cauliflower and Cheese.
Richard explained that his mother loved vegetables, particularly cauliflower, as does he, making this side dish a go-to in their home. “Once a week we would have a meatless meal, and one of the favorites was Cauliflower-Cheese as main course, but we had it frequently as side-dish (with much less cheese). Even now, I will have florets in a Ziploc, grab a few, cook them in a microwave and add a simple cheese sauce as a snack.”
Cauliflower is a super-nutritious vegetable option. It is naturally high in fiber and B-vitamins, and it contains nutrients that are good for learning and memory.
Richard shared that one of the great things about this recipe is that you don’t have to be precise with the ingredients or cooking; he varies both regularly. You could add chopped onion, broccoli florets, or pomegranate seeds after cooking for a pop of flavor.
Cauliflower and Cheese (Side-dish) curtesy of Richard Guha
- 1 head cauliflower, broken into florets
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter (Ghee – clarified unsalted butter – works well)
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 4 ounces grated sharp cheddar cheese (more if you want an entrée)
- Ground white pepper and Worcestershire sauce to taste
Directions:
- Place a steamer insert into a saucepan and fill with water to just below the bottom of the steamer. Add chopped onion and broccoli if desired) Bring water to a boil. Add cauliflower; cover the saucepan with a lid and steam cauliflower until tender, 10 to 12 minutes. It can also be cooked in the Microwave
- Melt butter or Ghee in a large pot over medium heat. Whisk flour into melted butter; cook, stirring constantly until raw flour taste cooks off and mixture darkens, 3 to 4 minutes.
- Gradually whisk milk into butter mixture; cook, stirring constantly, until sauce thickens, about 8 minutes. Remove pot from heat; stir in cheddar cheese. Season sauce with Worcestershire sauce and white pepper.
- Stir steamed cauliflower into cheese sauce. If desired, can be in a Pyrex dish, and placed beneath a broiler to brown the cheese (in this case, sprinkle some more cheese on top before broiling).