Today I am pleased to share an extraordinary discovery, a recipe that I would describe as a clever, intelligent, and healthy way to season any dish where béchamel sauce is needed, like lasagna, casseroles, or gratinated vegetables! The one I’m proposing is a faux béchamel, a recipe taken from the advice of Nutritionist Chiara Manzi, a leading expert in Culinary Nutrition, which is the branch of nutrition applied to cooking and pastry. Thanks to her project Healthy Cooking, it is possible to understand that the nutritional properties of foods depend on a few simple factors, namely how they are cooked, the quality, and the combinations. The faux béchamel is a clear example of this since it is not made with butter, nor flour, but with a vegetable that is a thousand times lighter and rich in vitamins and minerals! A great advantage, don’t you think? This béchamel is made with white cauliflower, taking advantage of its natural color. Once cooked in milk and vegetable broth, and then blended, you will get a creamy and enveloping texture with a neutral taste, reminiscent of the classic one. However, unlike the latter, it will enrich the dish with fiber while maintaining delicacy in taste! I myself tried it on a plate of green lasagna that is impossible to resist scooping up. It’s really simple to prepare, so you can also use it as the sole seasoning on any type of pasta because it will still be delicious!!! You will thus discover how sometimes these substitutions can represent an incredible benefit in terms of health and fitness!
Source: Dr. Chiara Manzi – Culinary Evolution
CURIOSITY: Did you know that cauliflower juice counters colds and flu? In fact, 2-3 tablespoons of its juice obtained with a centrifuge, diluted with water and honey, contribute to quicker recovery from cold-related ailments.
Other alternative sauces and condiments to traditional ones that might interest you:
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Inexpensive
- Preparation time: 25 Minutes
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Boiling
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 1 white cauliflower
- 2 cups vegetable broth (warm with cauliflower stems)
- 1 1/4 cups milk (or plant-based milk)
- 2 leaves bay leaf
- 1 bunch parsley
- 2 sprigs thyme
- 1 tablespoon nutmeg
- 1 1/3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pinch salt
- to taste pepper
Tools
- 1 Knife
- 1 Baking Pan
- 1 Saucepan
- 1 Immersion Blender
- 1 Spatula
- 1 Ladle
Steps
Start by cleaning the cauliflower, removing the stems and outer leaves. Wash them and use them to prepare the vegetable broth, which should be boiled in a pan for 20 minutes from boiling. Turn off the heat and keep warm with a lid.
Meanwhile, reduce the cauliflower into florets. Transfer them to another saucepan, covering them with 2 1/2 cups of hot vegetable broth and the milk. Also, add the bay leaves and bring to a boil.
Once it reaches a boil, lower the heat and cook with the lid on, leaving a small gap to let steam out, for 25′ or until the cauliflower appears well cooked.
Adjust with salt and pepper, remove the bay leaves, and turn off the heat.
Remove the excess broth which you can reuse for many other vegetable-based preparations*.
Add the nutmeg and mix.
Also, season with finely chopped fresh parsley.
Complete with fresh thyme and mix everything well.
Let cool slightly and blend with an immersion blender until you obtain a thick and homogeneous cream.
Finally, complete with a nice drizzle of raw olive oil.
Serve as you wish with croutons, bread, and crackers or as a base seasoning for your main courses or side dishes or whatever your creativity suggests.
And voilà…the faux cauliflower béchamel is ready to be enjoyed!
Bon Appetit from La Cucina di FeFè!
Here, for example, I used it to prepare a vegetable pie, specifically with potatoes and artichokes.
Storage
👉 Once cooled to room temperature, you can store the faux cauliflower béchamel in the fridge in glass containers with airtight lids for a maximum of 2-3 days. You can also freeze it for about 1 month.
Tips, notes, variations, and suggestions
🟣 * Advice to remove most of the excess broth for a thick and full-bodied texture. Don’t throw away leftover broth, as you can use it not only to make your béchamel thinner depending on your preparations but also, for example, to wet the edges and corners of lasagna and thus prevent them from drying out during baking. This broth is excellent in any case for any other recipe or preparation that requires vegetable broth!
🟣 The cauliflower: At the time of purchase, the cauliflower should be tightly closed, compact, with a firm inflorescence and no spots. The outer leaves should be crisp and adhere to the head. This will indicate freshness. A slightly darkened surface, on the other hand, indicates poor and prolonged storage, as cauliflower is a delicate vegetable that deteriorates easily.
