Gratin de Chou-Fleur à la Moutarde Ancienne

Cauliflower is one of winter’s most misunderstood vegetables. Too often overcooked, too often treated as an obligation rather than an opportunity. And yet, when handled with care, it becomes something deeply comforting, almost noble in its simplicity.

 

This gratin is a perfect example of how French cooking elevates the ordinary. The cauliflower is first cooked just until tender, never soft. It keeps its shape, its gentle bite. Then comes the sauce, where the transformation truly happens.

 

Cream and milk form the base, enriched not with excess cheese alone, but with mustard. Not sharp Dijon, but moutarde ancienne, grainy and mellow. Its warmth spreads quietly through the sauce, adding depth without aggression. Nutmeg brings roundness, and a modest amount of cheese binds everything together.

 

Once baked, the gratin emerges golden and gently bubbling, the top lightly crisp while the inside remains soft and generous. The mustard does not dominate. It supports. It gives the dish backbone.

 

This is winter food without heaviness. Served as a main course with a green salad, or as a side to roasted vegetables or lentils, it feels complete. Satisfying, calm, and reassuring.

 

It is the kind of dish that proves vegetarian winter cooking does not need substitutes or tricks. Just attention, balance, and patience.

 

Recipe

 

Serves 4

 

Ingredients

 

• 1 large cauliflower, cut into florets (900 g | 2 lb)
• 30 g unsalted butter (2 tbsp)
• 30 g all-purpose flour (¼ cup)
• 400 ml whole milk (1⅔ cups)
• 100 ml crème fraîche or light cream (⅖ cup)
• 2 tbsp moutarde ancienne (whole-grain mustard)
• 100 g grated Gruyère or Comté (1 cup)
• Freshly grated nutmeg, to taste
• Salt and white pepper

 

Method

 

Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F).

 

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the cauliflower florets and cook for 6 to 7 minutes, until just tender. Drain well and set aside.

 

In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute without browning. Gradually whisk in the milk until smooth. Cook gently until thickened.

 

Remove from the heat. Stir in the cream, mustard, half of the grated cheese, a pinch of nutmeg, salt and white pepper.

 

Arrange the cauliflower in a buttered baking dish. Pour the sauce evenly over the florets. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese.

 

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until golden and bubbling. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

 

Wine pairing

 

A Chardonnay from the Jura or a white Burgundy (Mâcon) pairs beautifully with the creaminess and gentle mustard warmth.

For red wine lovers, a light Gamay works surprisingly well.