Snowy days like today are perfect for relaxing at home and stirring up some comfort food to enjoy by the fire. Tonight, some very brave souls drove to Mirepoix for our third Date Night class of the weekend and they've prepared some irresistable recipes!

The key to planning a comfort food meal for these wintery days is to make things simple, but use interesting flavors to create the perfect dish. My favorite recipe from this evening's class is our cauliflower gratin.

Cauliflower is a versatile and delicious vegetable, and perfect for the winter months, but many people are unfamiliar with unique ways to prepare it. It's a far cry from steamed cauliflower & Velveeta, which might be a guilty pleasure for many, but not exactly what we like to cook at Mirepoix.

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do. Paired with a pan-seared ribeye, it's a quick and easy winter meal.

Gratin of Cauliflower & Gruyere
1 medium head cauliflower, trimmed and cut into florets
butter, as needed
1/3 cup Panko
2 oz. shredded Gruyère cheese, divided
2 Tb. finely chopped fresh chives
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
3 Tb. all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
3 Tb. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Method:
Preheat oven to 400°.
Place cauliflower on a sheet tray, season and bake until brown and tender. Preheat broiler.

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat. Stir in Panko. Stir in 1/4 cup cheese and chives. Set aside.

Heat a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add a tablespoon of butter. Add onion to pan; sauté until almost tender, stirring occasionally. Add garlic; sauté. Add flour; cook stirring constantly. Gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk; bring to a boil. Cook for twenty minutes to “cook out” the flour. Remove from heat; stir in remaining 1/4 cup cheese, parsley. Add the cauliflower to the milk mixture and season.

Pour into a baking dish or ramekin (whichever you are using). Top evenly with cheese mixture. Broil until golden brown and thoroughly heated.