Baked Breaded Cauliflower

Ingredients

• 0.5 teaspoon pepper black freshly ground
• 3 pounds cauliflower cooked trimmed (see Note above)
• 3 tablespoons flour all-purpose
• 2 cups half and half at room temperature
• 0.5 teaspoon nutmeg freshly grated
• 0.5 cup parmesan freshly grated (see Tip above)
• 0.8 teaspoon salt 
• 6 large spring onion white trimmed finely chopped ( part only)
• 2.5 tablespoons butter unsalted

Equipment

• sauce pan
• oven
• whisk
• pie form

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Drain all liquid from cooked cauliflower, ease whole head into 9-inch pie pan generously coated with nonstick baking spray, and set aside.
3. Melt butter in small heavy saucepan over moderately low heat.
4. Add scallions and cook, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes until limp. Blend in flour, salt, pepper, and nutmeg and cook and stir 3 minutes.
5. Whisking constantly, add half-and-half in slow, steady stream and continue whisking 5 to 8 minutes until thickened and no raw floury taste lingers.
6. Add cheese and stir until melted. Carefully pour sauce over cauliflower and sprinkle with Topping.
7. Slide onto middle oven shelf and bake uncovered about 20 minutes until lightly browned.
8. Ease breaded cauliflower onto heated round platter and serve as an accompaniment to roast beef, lamb, or pork. Good, too, with roast chicken or turkey or baked ham.
9. From From a Southern Oven: The Savories, the Sweets by Jean Anderson. Copyright © 2012 by Jean Anderson; photography copyright © 2012 by Jason Wyche. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.