If you like cauliflower and want to serve a great and simple dish, try this. I remember when I was a kid I would not touch cauliflower if you paid me. However as time passed and I got older, I began to like it very much. My grandmother was one of those cooks that could work miracles with anything from the garden. Now it has become one of our favorite dishes. She also used to make a cream sauce, add some steamed mushrooms, and toss in some chopped cauliflower. How delicious!!
Take a 13 x 9 pan (or smaller if you so choose). Scatter desired amount of bread crumbs over bottom of pan, usually about ¼ of a cup or more. Next cut a large head of cauliflower up into flowerets. Put half of the cauliflower in the pan. Spread 1 ½ to 2 cups of Mariana sauce over the top along with mozzarella cheese and more bread crumbs. The recipe calls for l cup of cheese and ¼ bread crumbs. I judge the amounts of cheese, sauce, and bread crumbs by the amount of cauliflower I am baking. Add another layer of cauliflower and repeat.
Bake at 375 covered for about 40 minutes. Remove cover and sprinkle with ¼ to ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese. Bake for another 15 minutes until Parmesan cheese is golden brown. Let stand 15 minutes and serve.
Did you know that cauliflower is sweetest during the colder months? Whether it is boiled, steamed, or roasted, it is equally delicious. It is also very high in Vitamin C. For a crisper cauliflower, put it in a plastic bag and store in your crisper drawer for up to one week.
Enjoy,
Gogi