Broccoli and Cauliflower Gratin

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is a quick and delicious dish that I stumbled on while looking for new ways to cook broccoli and cauliflower. The recipe was developed by Laura Chenel for Food and Wine magazine. There tends to be a sameness to recipes that are written for the more strongly flavored vegetables. This one is a delightful departure from the norm. While I love the recipe as it is written, I would suggest you omit the broccoli and double the the amount of cauliflower the recipe calls for. I think the mix of ingredients is better suited to cauliflower and it makes for a much prettier dish than when the two are combined. I promise I'll give broccoli equal time at a later date. I love it, just not in this particular dish. This gratin is strongly flavored and is probably best served with plain grilled chicken or meat, though I must say I liked this enough to have the leftovers for my breakfast the last time I made it. "Gratin" is one of those culinary oddities that identifies a pan in which to cook, as well as a method of cooking. The pan is a shallow vessel that is used to hold a mixture that is topped with breadcrumbs and cheese and quickly broiled or flashed to produce a crunchy crust. They are usually easy to prepare, high in calories and absolutely delicious. This one is no exception, though it healthier than most. This is a really nice, serviceable recipe that you'll use over and over again once you've tried it. I hope that will be soon. Here's the recipe.

Broccoli and Cauliflower Gratin...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, courtesy of Laura Chenel

Ingredients:
4 cups broccoli florets (from 2 small heads)
4 cups cauliflower florets (from 1 small head)
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/2 pound sharp Cheddar cheese, coarsely shredded (2 cups)
1/4 cup pitted oil-cured green or black olives, coarsely chopped
1 cup coarse plain dry bread crumbs
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Butter a 2-inch-deep 2-quart baking dish. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil, add broccoli and cauliflower and cook until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Drain thoroughly.
2) In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over moderate heat. Add garlic and crushed red pepper and cook just until fragrant. Remove pan from burner. Add broccoli and cauliflower and toss. Toss olives and half of cheese with vegetables. Transfer to a baking dish and sprinkle with remaining cheese.
3) In a small bowl, toss crumbs with remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle crumbs over cheese. Bake in upper third of oven for about 12 minutes, or until cheese is bubbling and crumbs are golden. Serve hot. Yield: 4 to 6 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Spring Vegetable Ragout - One Perfect Bite
Summer Vegetable Gratin - Delicious Dishings
Winter Root Vegetable Gratin - Playing House
Vegetable Au Gratin - eCurry
Root Vegetable Gratin - The Bitten Word
Summer Vegetable Gratin - Erin Cooks