DEVILLED CAULIFLOWER

Ingredients

• 8 cups cauliflower florets
• 3 tbsp salted butter
• 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1 3/4 cups homogenized milk
• 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 tsp salt
• Dash freshly ground nutmeg
• 2 dashes hot pepper sauce
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 cup buttered crumbs

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Cook cauliflower in boiling water just until tender crisp, about 4 minutes. Drain and cool immediately in ice water. Drain; transfer to a bowl.
3. To prepare sauce, melt butter in a small saucepan over low heat; stir in flour and cook for 1 minute. Gradually stir in milk. Stir in mustard, Worchestershire sauce, salt, nutmeg, hot pepper sauce and bay leaf, and cook, stirring frequently, until thickened. Remove bay leaf. Add sauce to cauliflower and toss to coat. Transfer mixture to a greased shallow 2 quart baking dish. Sprinkle with buttered crumbs. May be prepared to this point and refrigerated for up to 24 hours.
4. Bake until heated through and bubbly, about 40 - 45 minutes.