Roasted Poblano Cauliflower Casserole

Roasted Poblano Cauliflower Casserole is low-carb side dish perfect for your Thanksgiving table.  The dish is full of cauliflower, bits of bacon, roasted poblano peppers and cheese.  

I promised you some exciting new Thanksgiving side dishes this month and that is just what this Roasted Poblano Cauliflower Casserole delivers.  

I wanted a few low-carb side dishes available for some of us that are trying to not load up on too many carbohydrates this Thanksgiving.  Cauliflower is the perfect ingredient to do just that because it is low-carb, but still has a great potato like texture.  

I steamed the cauliflower first to help with the cooking process.  Then I made a roasted poblano and cheese sauce to make it rich and delicious.  I added some bacon for good measure and this side dish is one that you will want to make on any day of the year, not just Thanksgiving.

Roasted Poblano Cauliflower Casserole 
by Ramona from Kitchen Simmer

Ingredients: 
1 large head cauliflower broken into florets
1 large poblano pepper roasted
1 medium onion finely chopped
6-8 sliced bacon chopped and fried (retain 2Tbs bacon grease)
1 Tbs butter/margarine
1 heaping Tbs flour
1 cup chicken broth/stock
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/4 tsp poultry seasoning
red chili flakes to taste
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese (divided) 
salt and black pepper to taste

Roasting Poblano Instructions:
Gas Stove or Outdoor Grill-  Place pepper directly on top of the stove grate or grill grate and use tongs to turn until pepper is fully blackened. Then place roasted pepper in a bowl and cover in plastic wrap for 20 minutes to steam the skin off. Next removed skin off the pepper by wiping with a paper towel sheet.

Oven Method-  Place peppers on baking sheet under the broiler.  Broil until charred. Turn pepper over if necessary to get entire pepper fully charred.  Then place roasted pepper in a bowl and cover in plastic wrap for 20 minutes to steam the skin off. Next removed skin off the pepper by wiping with a paper towel sheet. 

Directions:

 Step 1:  Wash and cut cauliflower in to florets.  Then steam with some salt and black pepper until fork tender, but still firm.


Step 2:  Cut bacon into small pieces until crispy, drain on a paper towel and reserve until later. Retain 2 Tbs bacon grease. 

Step 3:  Roast poblano pepper, then steam in a covered bowl for 20 minutes and peel off skin (follow poblano roasting directions above).  Next place into a blender or food processor with a cup of chicken stock and blend until smooth


Step 4:  In a large pan, on medium high heat, add 2Tbs of bacon grease and 1 Tbs butter/margarine.   Saute the onionfor 2 minutes until they soften.  

Then add the garlic powder, dried thyme, cumin powder, poultry seasoning, red chili flakes, flour, salt and black pepper and stir well into the grease.   Slowly add half the roasted poblano/ chicken stock mixture and stir well to avoid lumps.  Then add the remaining poblano/chicken stock mixture and stir well.

Step 5:  Add all the grated cheddar cheese  and 1/2 cup of the grated mozzarella cheese and stir well until the cheese is melted on medium low heat.  Then add steamed cauliflower to the cheese mixture and toss well.
 

Step 6: Butter an ovenproof baking dish and add cauliflower cheese mixture.  Top with half the bacon.  Add remaining 1/2 cup of cheese and top with the other half of the bacon.   Bake in a 375 degree oven for 20-25 minutes.  Serve hot or warm.  Enjoy.

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