Ingredients
- Coarse salt
- 1 pound elbow macaroni or cavatappi (corkscrew-shaped pasta)
- 1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 3 cups whole milk
- 1 cup chicken stock or broth
- 3 cups shredded smoked Gouda
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- Freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt to season the cooking water, then add the pasta. Cook for 5 minutes, then add the cauliflower and cook for 3 minutes more or until pasta is cooked al dente and the florets are just tender. Drain well and return to the pot.
While the pasta cooks, heat a medium sauce pot over medium-low heat. Add the extra-virgin olive oil and heat with the butter until it melts. Add the onions and cook for 3 to 5 minutes to sweat them out and turn the juices sweet. Raise the heat a bit, then whisk in the flour, cayenne, and paprika. Whisk together until the roux bubbles up, then cook for 1 minute more. Whisk in the milk and stock and raise the heat a bit higher to bring the sauce to a quick boil. Once it bubbles, drop the heat back to a simmer and cook until the sauce thickens, 3 to 5 minutes.
Add the cheese to the thickened sauce and stir to melt it, a minute or so. Stir in the mustard and season the sauce with salt and pepper. Pour over the cauliflower and cooked pasta and toss to combine. Adjust the seasonings, transfer to a large platter, and serve.
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By only1island_116...
Yonkers, NY
on December 26, 2011
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This recipe does make quite a bit. I added some lump crab to make it a complete meal and it came out absolutely yummy! I would make this again and again and again.
By tahoesnwgrl
on December 01, 2011
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My sister in law made this for thanksgiving. Talk about a recipe that I would have never thought to try! It was a huge hit with the entire family. My best friend freaked out when he found out there was Cauliflower in it, because he hates cauliflower until now!
Overall; a huge success. Unfortunately I do have to agree with most of the other commenters – it was extremely bland. When I get a chance to make it, Im going to be sure to toss in a lot of other seasonings.
By happy_gir1_5222784
Salem, OR
on May 27, 2011
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Sorry, Rachel, this was a real miss. I was really looking forward to making this because I love mac and cheese and I love cauliflower. I thought the smokey flavor of the gouda would really add a unique flavor and create an out of the ordinary Macaroni and Cheese. However, the end result, after following the recipe without any changes, was very bland. The flavors did not seem to work together and it just lacked 'something'. I tried adding more cheese, but still was not great. It was edible after topping it generously with parmesan cheese. I will not be making this again.
Read all 44 reviews