hmm, let's see. how to describe this dish. i'm going to go with... insanely good.
yes, there are a few steps and some weird smells along the way. yes, it should probably be a side dish but we ate it as the main thing. yes, there's a lot of cheese. and yes, i ate double the portion that i should have eaten and felt sort of guilty later...

but we've got a lot of living to do. let's start right here.




cauliflower and caramelized onion gratin
heavily adapted from this recipe on smitten kitchen. my simplified version doesn't involve tart dough:)

1 head of cauliflower, cut into 1-inch florets
3 1/2 T. olive oil
1 large sweet onion, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
2 small eggs or 1 large
6 oz. sour cream or ricotta cheese (i've used both and liked them both)
2 tsp. mustard (optional)
1/3 cup milk
3/4 cup of grated cheese (i did a bit of mozz and some cheddar)
1/3 cup parmesan cheese
1/4 cup panko bread crumbs (or any bread crumbs)

for the cauliflower: heat oven to 425 and spread cauliflower on rimmed baking sheet. drizzle with 2 T. olive oil, sprinkle with s & p, and roast for 15 min. turn florets over and continue roasting until brown and tender, about 15 min more. set aside. reduce oven temp to 350.
for the onion: heat 1 1/2 T. olive oil in a heavy skillet over med-low heat. add onion, sprinkle with s & p and cook until onion is a deep golden brown, 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally. set aside
for the creaminess: whisk together eggs, sour cream, mustard, milk, and grated cheese.
to finish: add cauliflower to onion pan and toss together a bit, then scoop into a baking dish or pie pan. pour creamy mixture over vegetables and jiggle the dish to even it out. sprinkle top with parmesan and panko and bake for 40 minutes, or until golden and center is set. cool 15 minutes before serving.

notes: yes, it really is better if you let it cool and set up a bit before you try to eat it. and yes, it's totally worth the 30 minute prep steps and the 40 minute baking time. and yes, you can roast the florets and cook the onions the day before, if you want to be really on top of things. i roasted my cauliflower the day before this time, and that really helped things come together quickly when i was ready to assemble and bake.