Sometimes at the farmer’s market I come across purple, orange and even green cauliflower. I love the difference the color makes when cooking a summer dish; it adds a little extra pop of color to the meal.

For this recipe I use orange cauliflower, also known as cheddar cauliflower. This beautifully colored vegetable is loaded with beta-carotene and contains about 25-percent more vitamin A than white cauliflower. Use colored cauliflower like you would white cauliflower to make the dish a bit more colorful.

This recipe is quick, easy and delicious. Enjoy!

CAULIFLOWER SMOKED GOUDA CASSEROLE

Makes 4-6 servings

Ingredients

1 tablespoon butter

1 cauliflower, cut into florets

½ yellow onion, chopped

4 garlic cloves, diced

2 tablespoons fresh thyme

¼ cup green onions, sliced

2 cups cooked rice

¼ cup milk

Salt and pepper, to taste

2 cups shredded smoked Gouda cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute cauliflower, onion and garlic for 5 minutes or until starting to soften. Remove from heat and place cauliflower in a large baking dish. Toss cauliflower with thyme, green onions, rice, milk, salt and pepper. Stir in half of the Gouda cheese (approximately 1 cup) and taste, then add in more seasoning if desired. Top the dish with the remaining cup of smoked gouda. Bake for 30 minutes or until bubbling. Serve warm.

Chef Arica Davis is owner/operator of Yummy Fixins, Personal Chef Services and Pasta Parties. Visit http://www.yummyfixins.com or call 530-539-4504 to book your next dinner party.