"Gratin" sounds much fancier than reality: cauliflower with cheese sauce. But "delicious" barely describes the cheese sauce's bright notes of horseradish and mustard.

OH SO GOOD: this definitely qualifies for a 'I Could Easily Make a Meal Out of This' designation.

KITCHEN NOTES

• For make-now-serve-later occasions, cook the cauliflower and cheese sauce ahead of time, then combine shortly before going into the oven
• The quantity of cheese sauce could handle as much as two times the quantity of cauliflower which definitely improves the Weight Watchers point counts too.
• Keep tasting the cheese sauce and the crumbs, adding more horseradish to taste.

CAULIFLOWER CHEDDAR HORSERADISH GRATIN
Hands-on time: 25 minutes
Time to table: 40 minutes
Serves 6

CAULIFLOWER
Salted water to cover
1 1/2 pounds cauliflower or 1 1/2 pound cauliflower & broccoli florets (just cauliflower is good though broccoli adds color and nutrition, could also add carrots, maybe even turnips or potatoes or ...)

Bring the water to a boil. Add the vegetables and cook until tender (or until a knife inserts easily into the stem) or about 15 minutes. (You could steam the vegetables too but I wanted the added tenderness from cooking in water.) Drain and return to the hot pan.

CHEESE HORSERADISH SAUCE
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon flour
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon horseradish
1 cup skim milk, warmed in the microwave
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
2 green onions, chopped (these aren't necessary)
Salt & pepper & additional horseradish to taste

Melt the butter in a saucepan over MEDIUM heat. Stir in the flour and cook 1 minute. Stir in the mustard and horseradish. A tablespoon at a time to start, add the warm milk, stirring until smooth before adding another tablespoon. Bring just to a boil but do not allow to boil. Add the cheese, green onion (if using) and stir occasionally until the cheese melts, watching the temperature carefully so not to boil. Taste and adjust seasonings and horseradish.

TOPPING
1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/4 cup panko or dried bread crumbs or cracker crumbs
1/2 tablespoon horseradish (or more to taste)

Melt the butter in a microwave in a small bowl. Stir in the panko and horseradish.

ASSEMBLE & FINISH
Preheat oven to 450F.

Gently toss the cauliflower and cheese sauce. Transfer to a lightly greased oven-proof dish. Sprinkle topping on top. Bake for 10 - 15 minutes until bubbling.

NUTRITION ESTIMATE
SIX SERVINGS, ALL CAULIFLOWER Per Serving: 188 Cal (50% from Fat, 21% from Protein, 29% from Carb); 10 g Protein; 11 g Tot Fat; 7 g Sat Fat; 14 g Carb; 3 g Fiber; NetCarb11; 262 mg Calcium; 1 mg Iron; 270 mg Sodium; 32 mg Cholesterol; Weight Watchers 4 points

TWELVE SERVINGS, ALL CAULIFLOWER Per Serving: 108 Cal (43% from Fat, 22% from Protein, 35% from Carb); 6 g Protein; 5 g Tot Fat; 3 g Sat Fat; 10 g Carb; 3 g Fiber; NetCarb 7; 143 mg Calcium; 1 mg Iron; 152 mg Sodium; 16 mg Cholesterol; Weight Watchers 2 points

SIX SERVINGS, HALF CAULIFLOWER, HALF BROCCOLI Per Serving: 193 Cal (49% from Fat, 22% from Protein, 29% from Carb); 11 g Protein; 11 g Tot Fat; 7 g Sat Fat; 15 g Carb; 4 g Fiber; NetCarb 11; 276 mg Calcium; 1 mg Iron; 272 mg Sodium; 32 mg Cholesterol; Weigh Watchers 4 points

TWELVE SERVINGS, HALF CAULIFLOWER, HALF BROCCOLI Per Serving: 113 Cal (42% from Fat, 23% from Protein, 36% from Carb); 7 g Protein; 6 g Tot Fat; 3 g Sat Fat; 11 g Carb; 3 g Fiber; NetCarb8; 157 mg Calcium; 1 mg Iron; 154 mg Sodium; 16 mg Cholesterol; Weight Watchers 2 points

ALANNA's TIPS

• The oven step really isn't necessary. You could just cook the cauliflower, drain and transfer to a serving dish, then top with the cheese sauce, probably omitting the topping.
  

CREDIT WHERE CREDIT'S DUE
Adapted and "Alanna-sized" from Gourmet, January 2006