Cauliflower au Gratin
Recipe No. 579 from the U.S. Army's WWII cookbook — Vegetables. Quantities are exactly as printed, for 100 servings; a scaled-down 8-serving version is in the notes.
Recipe No. 579 from the U.S. Army’s WWII cookbook — Vegetables. Quantities are exactly as printed, for 100 servings; a scaled-down 8-serving version is in the notes.
Ingredients
- Cauliflower — 35 pounds
- Salt — as needed
- Water, boiling — as needed
White sauce — 3 quarts (3 No. 56 dippers)
- Cheese, finely chopped — 2 pounds (2 No. 56 dippers)
- Butter, melted — 8 ounces (¼ No. 56 dipper)
- Bread crumbs — 12 ounces (½ No. 56 dipper)
Directions
- Cover cauliflower with cold salted water; soak 30 minutes. Wash heads; remove base of stalks and discard large leaves.
- Add boiling salted water. Heat to boiling point; reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 8 to 10 minutes or until tender. Drain and cool. Break into pieces.
- Prepare white sauce (recipe No. 497); add cheese and stir until cheese is melted.
- Place cauliflower in well greased baking pans. Pour cheese sauce over cauliflower.
- Pour melted butter over bread crumbs; cover cauliflower with buttered crumbs.
- Bake in moderate oven (350° F.) 30 minutes.
Notes
SCALED TO 8 SERVINGS (the original is ÷12.5): Cauliflower — 2 lb 12¾ oz Salt — to taste Water, boiling — to taste White sauce — 15⅓ tbsp Cheese, finely chopped — 2½ oz Butter, melted — ⅔ oz Bread crumbs — 1 oz
— TM 10-412, Army Recipes (War Department, 15 August 1944), recipe No. 579, Vegetables. Army measures: 1 No. 56 dipper = 1 qt; 1 No. 55 dipper = 1¾ qt; 1 mess kit cup = 1½ pints.