Friday 1 May 2009

salmon cauliflower gratin

Now, I know I'm not alone in not particularly being keen on cooked cauliflower. So getting one in my box usually means eating it raw with dips, or cauliflower cheese.
Today being Friday, we usually eat fish (how very catholic) mainly to help me plan the week's meals. Similarly we eat vegetarian on Mondays, echoing my Hindu father, and this common Hindu practice. Anyway.
I'm not going to explain how to make a white sauce, there are plenty of sites around that will tell and show much better than I could. So I made a white sauce, and as usual I used bits of different types of milk, so that I didn't use any one type up for the morning. Including soya milk. It works very well in cooking, in my opinion.
I pulled apart the cauliflower, and microwaved the florets in a little water. I asked a kind friend to open and sort through a can of pink salmon, the tall size can, not the little one, and he took away the skin and some of the bigger bones. Dog was pretty happy with this, as they went in his bowl.

Right, to assemble. Spread the cauli into a pyrex baking dish. Sprinkle and spread evenly the samlon onto and around the cauli. Shake some tarragon generously onto the top, and since I had it in the fridge to use up, drop dollops of creme fraiche onto these. Season with black pepper if there isn't already plenty in the sauce, but don't use salt as the sauce should have enough, and adding more will make the sauce separate and become watery.

Finally, in whichever order you prefer, top with grated cheese and breadcrumbs.

Place in hot oven (200 deg) til the topping is brown, about half an hour.

I served this with a BIG portion of purple sprouting brocolli, again microwave steamed.
One went back for more, one was full and found it very rich.

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