A very traditional Chilean dish: Cauliflower Casserole. Vegetables are the cheapest food in Chile. My grandmother was skilled in making many different recipes with them: we enjoyed them in tortillas, casseroles, puddings, soups, fritters, purees, with bechamel, and more. This cauliflower casserole or pudding is very similar to the zucchini one; appropriately enough, one is a summer dish, and this is a winter one.
I cooked this casserole with a cauliflower I harvested from my garden. We garden year-round in Houston and fall, and spring are full of delicious cold-season vegetables like cauliflower, cabbage, kale, bok-choy, beets, carrots, and chard.
This recipe is an excellent way to introduce children to cauliflower. If you do not have cheese, you can replace it with toasted breadcrumbs.
Another good recipe: Zucchini Casserole
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Pastel de Coliflor Chilean Cauliflower Casserole
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: 4
- Category: Vegetables
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: Chilean
Description
A great way to use cauliflower.
Ingredients
- 1 large or 2 small cauliflower heads
- 1 onion, any kind
- 3 eggs
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 4 slices of cheese (Havarti or Munster)
- oil, salt, and pepper
Instructions
- Cut the cauliflower into pieces. Place in a pot and cover with salted water. Cook over high heat until it boils. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 12 minutes.
- Test whether the cauliflower is cooked. It should be easy to cut with a fork.
- Chop the onion into small cubes and cook in a pan with oil for 8-10 minutes.
- Drain the cauliflower and mash it with a fork or masher. Drain again.
- Preheat oven to 400F or 200C.
- Beat the egg whites.
- Mix the cauliflower, cooked onions, egg yolks, Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper. Mix well.
- Add half of the egg whites and mix gently. Then add the other half.
- Pour into a bowl that can go in the oven and cover with cheese slices.
- Bake for 25 minutes or until the cheese is golden and the casserole has risen.
- Let cool for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Carmen says
Well, nowadays not even vegetables are cheap in Chile, I can tell you that! Voy a probar tu receta, gracias! 🙂
Pilar Hernandez says
Yes, so sad. Good luck with the recipe.
Enola Beans says
As a diabetic learning to cope with a world filled with high carbs and fats, this delightful recipe will provide an excellent supper dish.
Both my daughter and I remember making many dishes with my grandmother. You and I both know unconditional love in a most excellent.
Greetings from Toronto!
Pilar Hernandez says
Thanks and good luck with the new diet.
Chad says
That is so interesting. I have never seen mashed cauliflower before. I like how you lay the slices on top, too. Nice.
Pilar Hernandez says
Just what I learned standing next to my grandma 🙂