Gratinated Cauliflower and Broccoli

Preparation

• 1
  Preheat the oven to 200 °C. Bring about 1.5 l of water with 1 tbsp salt to a boil in a pot.
• 2
  Add the cauliflower florets to the boiling water and cook for 6–7 minutes, depending on their size. Then remove them and immediately plunge them into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process.
• 3
  Cook the broccoli florets in the same water for 5–6 minutes. Remove the cauliflower from the ice water and add the broccoli instead (add more ice cubes if necessary). Let cool for 5 minutes, then drain all the vegetables well in a sieve.
• 4
  Peel and halve the onion. Put the milk in a pot, season with salt and pepper, add the onion halves and a pinch of nutmeg. Bring to a boil and simmer for 3 minutes.
• 5
  In another pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the flour and sauté for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until a light roux forms.
• 6
  Remove the onion from the milk. Slowly pour the warm milk into the roux, stirring constantly. Simmer for 2 minutes over low heat. For a particularly fine consistency, briefly blend the sauce with an immersion blender until a smooth béchamel is formed. Season with more salt to taste.
• 7
  Layer the cauliflower and broccoli in a baking dish, pour the béchamel sauce evenly over them, and sprinkle with grated Parmesan.
• 8
  Bake in the preheated oven for about 5 minutes until golden brown. Serve hot.