It is really disheartening when you love something so–Poptarts or Ace of Base or Perfect Strangers–and it just doesn’t stand the test of time. You know that feeling, when you try something again as an adult and you are all “Oh, this SUCKS. What the hell was I so in love with?”
A perfect example: Forrest Gump. I adored that movie, was completely captivated by the soundtrack and could not get enough of it. But now? Well, the soundtrack is still really great, but oh dear God, the overkill. I am a fan of the overkill , but it is the most overkillingly overkill of all the overkills. What with the War and the child abuse and all the running and the folksy sayings and the AIDS. Oh my god, the AIDS. Remember when everything in the 1990s was about the AIDS? The whole movie is weirdly conservative and moralistic and I just really find it awful now.
And Jenny, man. I mean the girl was struggling. Child abuse will do that to you, but she just brutalized Forrest and even though we “get” it, it is too much. Plus the whole Forrest and Jenny were like peas and carrots thing? I think peas and carrots are not the best pairing. This has to be the reason this movie was a pile of suck. One of the catchphrases was a total crock.
I really think it is ok to leave some things in the past and move on. Not everything can hold up. As a grown up, I am happy to trade in the mundane peas and carrots combo for brussel sprouts and cauliflower. Sprouts make everything better and cauliflower is an unsung hero in American cuisine. Put them together and you get magic. This was an excellent side dish this Thanksgiving; I barely had time to snap the picture it was attacked so fast. And a recipe like this? Where everything is covered in a cheesy bechamel? Well, that is just the kind of overkill I can live with.
You’ll still like this 10 years from now. Promise.
Brussel Sprout and Cauliflower Gratin
Slightly adapted from A Cozy Kitchen
1 large head of cauliflower, cut into large florets
3/4 lb of brussels sprouts, trimmed, and quartered lengthwise through core
1 teaspoon of kosher salt
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, divided
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups hot milk
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
a pinch of grated nutmeg
3/4 cup grated Gruyere cheese, divided
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup panko bread crumb
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F
Prepare a large bowl filled with ice water and ice. Cook the cauliflower florets in a large pot of boiling salted water for 5 to 6 minutes, until tender but still firm. Drain. Throw the cooked cauliflower into the bowl of ice water to stop them from cooking any further. Bring the pot back up to a boil and put in the quartered brussels sprouts and cook for 3-4 minutes. The cauliflower should be completely cooled. Drain them and set aside. After the brussels sprouts are done, throw them in the bowl of ice water and ice.
Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Add the flour, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon for 2 minutes. Pour the hot milk into the butter-flour mixture and stir until it comes to a boil. Boil, whisking constantly, for 1 minute, or until thickened. Off the heat, add 1 teaspoon of salt, the pepper, nutmeg, 1/2 cup of the Gruyere, and 1/2 cup of the Parmesan
Pour 1/3 of the sauce on the bottom of an 8 by 11 by 2-inch baking dish. Place the drained cauliflower and brussels sprouts on top and then spread the rest of the sauce evenly on top. Combine the bread crumbs with the remaining 1/4 cup of Gruyere and 1/4 of parm and sprinkle on top. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and drizzle over the gratin. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the top is browned.
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{ 28 comments… read them below or add one }
Ohhhhhhhh my. I can’t WAIT to make that.
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Yay! Somebody else realizes that hot milk is required to keep the bechemel from clumping. It is amazing how many ‘experts’ tell you to keep the milk ice cold whe you add it.
I never felt the nostalgia for Gump, I thought it absurd from the time I saw it in the theatre.
While I do not like brussels sprouts personally, I do agree that cauliflower is a highly underrated food.
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Totally agree with you on Forrest Gump and had the exact same experience with it.
I disagree with you, however, on Pop Tarts and Perfect Strangers. Pop Tarts are still delicious, and I’ll now have the Perfect Strangers theme in my head all day. “Standin’ tall, on the wings of my dreams…”
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i went to disney this past may…it was not as amazing as i remembered it…a total let down. especially because space moutain was closed for repairs.
and anything with brussel sprouts stands the test of time to me
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I am so glad you posted this recipe! It was delicious at Thanksgiving!
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Oh Jenny!
Vegetables with added fat adds taste. Love it!
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Ummm. Cheese….. And I decidedly did NOT like Forrest Gump. Except there’s this part in the AA book that says, “We are like men who have lost their legs. We never grow new ones.” And ALL I can think of when I read that. EVERYSINGLETIME is his friend sitting on top of his boat. Drunk off his ass. I do not like that picture.
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Are you trying to imply that Poptarts are not everything they say that they are and much, much more?
Yes, it was a travesty when they stopped selling “grape”, but that in no way diminishes to savory goodness of Poptarts.
Also, I like Forrest Gump.
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Hated Jenny. Hated Had a girl like her, once. She’s a painful lesson.
Love the gratin. Had something like that too, and will again, methinks. Much more pleasant memories there.
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at first i thought this was going to be an ode to carly simon!
but yeah. the soundtrack to this movie is about the only thing i still dig. oh, and lieutenant dan because i think he’s kinda swoony.
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Can I tell you that it never occured to me that she had the AIDS? I am having a Forrest Gump based revelation here at my desk.
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11 year old me was so disappointed as I WOLFED down brussel sprouts and cauliflower in lieu of fried-oniony green bean casserole.
I’m sorry, little LiLu.
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My mouth is watering. That is all.
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This looks incredible, and perfect for the wintery conditions I find myself in presently. Why does Gruyere have to be so expensive, is what I want to know…not that this ever stops me from buying it…
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How dare you disrespect Pop Tarts. Good day to you, Madam!
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That looks really good! I’ve always hated Forrest Gump though, never understood the appeal.
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I love brussel sprouts oh so very much.
I also love perfect strangers. Sttttaaaaaaaaaaaanding tallll
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The Cat from Outer Space is for me what Forrest Gump is for you. I friggin loved that movie when I was 6. It. Does. Not. Hold. Up. Shocking, I know.
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Peregrine John Reply:
December 8th, 2009 at 12:30 pm
It’s like the guy says: “Just give me a beer and forget I’m here.” But with the whole movie.
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The thing that pisses me off is that the CVS across from my job only has Strawberry and Brown Sugar Pop Tarts!!! Gee, thanks for have the two least interesting Pop Tarts varieties EVER!!!! And I used to really like Brown Sugar Pop Tarts!
Definitely agree on Gump. Not that I ever LOVED the movie, but I thought it was okay at the time. Now I’m just bored by it. I need Hanks to be in a full-on, hardcore comedy again.
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Ace of Base doesn’t suck. They never sucked. If anything sucks it’s contemporary music, not early 90s-music.
I dunno why you don’t have a boyfriend. Those dinners look pretty fancy and feminine. You keep talking about your weight. If youre gonna lose some, do it now and never look back. Look great + get out of the house + be friendly + give warm smiles to men that interests you.
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I think I’m going to buy some blueberry pop tarts tomorrow. Nostalgia can be a good thing from time to time.
I still love Forrest Gump. Yeah, it’s overkill. Yeah, it’s utter narm at times. But that’s all part of the charm.
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Thank you for posting the recipe; it sounds decadent! I will have to try it some time–brussel sprouts and cauliflower are indeed more unique than the overserved carrots and peas combination.
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the second i read that post title i immediately thought of forrest gump and i’m so glad it was what you referring to
…sweet recipe!
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i made this the other night with very few alterations. it was perfect. trumped everything else at the table, and yesterday, we fought over who would get to take the leftovers to work.
in short, thank you.
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Sometimes I resent how many hours I spend glued to this screen. And so far I haven’t even given in to Facebook or Twitter. But I do like the looks of that recipe. The food here always makes it worth the trip…
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