»Back to Vegetable Main Dishes

Cauliflower with Ham & Bacon

This is a take-off from my Cauliflower Gratin. A bit heftier for a main dish with the meat.

What you need

  1. 1 small head cauliflower, partially pre-cooked
  2. 1 tsp kosher salt (for cauliflower water)
  3. 1 1/2 - 2 cups diced ham
  4. 2 strips bacon, chopped and cooked
  5. 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
  6. 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese (for top)
  7. 1/2 cup cottage cheese
  8. 1/2 - 3/4 cup fat-free yogurt
  9. 1 -2 garlic cloves, minced
  10. 1 tsp sweet paprika
  11. bacon fat for greasing the casserole
  12. 1-2 tbl grated romano or parm
  13. Ground black pepper to taste
  14. 4 sprigs fresh parsley, including stems

How to make it

  1. Preheat oven to 350º
  2. Clean cauliflower and cut or break into several pieces
  3. Place in a pan with a bit of water and the salt
  4. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until nearly done but not soft - remove from pan, drain and cool slightly
  5. Meanwhile, cook chopped bacon until crispy - retain rendered fat
  6. Separate parsley leaves and stems
  7. Mince the stems and chop the leaves
  8. Blend cottage cheese with 1 cup grated cheddar, yogurt, garlic, minced parsley stems and paprika
  9. Chop the cauliflower and add with ham to the cheese mixture
  10. Spoon into a greased pan (bacon fat is delicious, but you can use any oil or fat)
  11. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup cheddar over top, sprinkle bacon pieces over that and dust with grated romano
  12. Add black pepper to taste over the top and bake for about 30 minutes until light golden and hot throughout

Questions about this recipe?

Not the recipe you want? Enter an ingredient in the box below: