From the blog For Love of the Table
3/4 cup half-and-half
1/2 cup plus 2 T. whole roasted almonds with skin (3 ounces)
2 T. shredded Manchego (1/2 ounce)
1/4 t. smoked Spanish paprika
1 2-lb. Head of cauliflower, cut into 1 1/2-inch florets
2 T. unsalted butter
1 medium onion, finely diced
2 T. unsalted butter
2 T. flour
1 cup whole milk
3/4 cup shredded Manchego (3 ounces)Pinch of nutmeg
Salt & Pepper
Preheat the oven to 400°. Generously butter a shallow 2-quart gratin dish.
In a small saucepan, heat the half-and-half until steaming. Transfer to the food processor and add 1/2 cup of the almonds. Process until the almonds are finely ground. Let stand for 10 minutes. Strain through a fine mesh strainer, pressing hard on the almonds to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the ground almonds.
While the almond milk steeps, coarsely chop the remaining 2 T. of almonds and combine with 2 T. of the Manchego and the paprika. Set aside.
In a large skillet, bring 1/2 inch of salted water to a boil. Add the cauliflower, cover and cook over high heat until crisp-tender—about 4 minutes. Drain the cauliflower in a colander and set aside. Wipe out the skillet and melt 2 T. of butter in the skillet. Add the onion and cook over medium to medium-high, stirring occasionally, until tender and beginning to caramelize—about 5 minutes. Add the cauliflower and continue to cook, stirring, until the cauliflower begins to caramelize in spots—2 minutes or so. Season with salt and pepper and transfer to the buttered gratin dish.
While the vegetables cook, prepare the béchamel. In a small saucepan, bring the milk to a simmer; keep hot. In a medium saucepan, melt 2 T. of butter over medium heat. When the foam subsides, whisk in the flour. Cook stirring constantly for a few minutes—the roux will be bubbly and straw yellow. Remove from the heat and pour in the hot milk, whisking constantly until smooth—it will thicken immediately. Add the reserved almond milk. Return to the heat and stir constantly until the sauce returns to a simmer. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the nutmeg. Stir in 3/4 cup of Manchego, mixing just to distribute the cheese—it doesn't need to melt. Taste and correct the seasoning.
Spread the Manchego sauce over the vegetables in the gratin dish. Sprinkle with the reserved almond/cheese/paprika mixture. Bake for 20 minutes or until bubbling and browned on top. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Serves 6 to 8 as a side dish, or 4 as a vegetarian entrée (serve with a green salad and some crusty bread).
(Recipe from Food & Wine, February 2005)
http://www.forloveofthetable.com/2013/01/cauliflower-gratin-with-manchego-almond.html