Recipes
Cauliflower Custard
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
3 cups half-and-half
3 thin slices of fresh ginger
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
2 teaspoons butter, at room temperature
— Kosher salt
1 pound cauliflower
4 large farm eggs
3 ounces (¾ cup grated) St. George cheese
2 ounces (½ cup grated) dry Jack or similar cheese
— Hot water
Preparation
Pour the half-and-half into a saucepan, set over medium heat and warm through; do not let it boil. Remove from the heat, add the ginger and turmeric, cover and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter the inside of a 1 ½ - to 2-quart baking dish.
Fill a medium saucepan half full with water, season generously with salt. Add the cauliflower and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook until tender when pierced with a fork or bamboo skewer.
Remove from the heat, drain and let cool until easy to handle. Break the florets apart, cut the stem into small dice and put both into the buttered dish. Season lightly with salt.
Put the eggs into a large bowl and whisk well. Strain the half and half into the bowl, discard the ginger, add the St. George cheese and whisk until smooth and creamy. Pour the mixture over the cauliflower and top with the remaining cheese.
Set a roasting pan or similar vessel on the middle rack of the oven, set the baking dish inside it and add hot water to come about 2 inches up the side of the baking dish.
Bake for about 30 minutes, until the custard is set but still "wobbly;" the top of the custard should have picked up a bit of color but should not be browned. Remove the dish from the oven and let stand at room temperature for about 10 minutes before serving.
Recipe by Michele Anna Jordan who has written 24 books to date. Email her at michele@micheleannajordan.com.
