Stuffed Cauliflower Head

The Record’s “Recipe of the Week”:
Stuffed Cauliflower Head by Caroline Breneiser

SAUCE:
1/3 cup mayonnaise
2 T. flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. dried ground mustard
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 cup milk
1 cup Monterey jack cheese, shredded
1 T. chopped pimento

1 head cauliflower
1 tsp. salt
6 slices bacon
1/4 cup green pepper, chopped
1/4 cup onion, chopped
1 to 1-1/2 cups celery, chopped
3 hard boiled eggs, chopped
1 tsp. parsley
1/4 tsp. paprika
Red & green bell pepper rings, optional

To make the sauce: In a saucepan, blend together mayonnaise, flour, salt, mustard, and pepper. Gradually add milk while stirring. Cook over medium heat until thickened. Add the cheese and pimento. Heat until the cheese melts. Remove from the heat.

Cut out the core of the cauliflower. Place cored side down in 1” of salted boiling water. Cook over medium heat 15 minutes. Drain. Cool.

In a frying pan, fry the bacon and remove from the pan, leaving the bacon grease. Crumble the cooked bacon and set aside. Saute the green pepper, onion, and celery in the bacon grease, just until barely tender. Drain off the excess bacon grease. Combine the bacon pieces, egg, vegetables, and parsley. Place the cauliflower in a 9” baking dish. Gently spread the florets of the cauliflower apart. Spoon the sauce mixture into the crevices. Bake at 300° for 15 min. After removing from the oven, spoon sauce over the top. Sprinkle with paprika. Use the remaining sauce when serving.

If desired, place the bell pepper rings around the edge of the cauliflower as a garnish when serving.