everything looks better in gold and green

Do I even remember how to cook? I certainly can't remember how long it's been since I have cooked.

Finally home after an impromptu week-long NYC trip, I was greeted by rain and East Coast-style temperatures. I had designs on soup, but when I texted Matty to see what he wanted, he came back with "Fish. Pasta. Chicken. Steak. All of the above?" God, I missed him while I was gone!

So I picked up a couple rib-eyes, put him in charge of prepping them, and focused on the next best thing to soup in cold weather - a nice, cheesy gratin. Although, this was near brimming with health - a bechamel made from milk and enriched by just 2 oz. of Gorgonzola. When you consider all that next to a pound and a half of broccoli, it doesn't seem naughty at all.

I know this is supposed to be a side dish, but I could easily make the whole pan-ful my dinner. I could maybe use just a little more than 2 oz. of Gorgonzola - some bites were absolutely perfect, but some could have used an extra kick. I left the broccoli raw before mixing it with the sauce because the very thought of mushy broccoli that's lost all its green color absolutely turns my stomach. I certainly didn't expect it to turn out as crisp as my roasted broccoli, but leaving them raw really gave them great texture. And they all stayed green.

Leftovers - great on top of pasta, in scrambles - I'm beside myself with excitement of the possibilities!

Broccoli and Blue Cheese Gratin
adapted from Leite's Culinaria

24 oz. broccoli florets
4 T. butter, divided
6 T. panko
2 T. all-purpose flour
1 1/2 c. whole milk
1/2 t. salt
1 /2 t. black pepper
Pinch of cayenne
2 oz. Gorgonzola

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Trim the florets to bite-sized chunks. Set aside.

3. In a small pan, melt 2 T. of the butter. Add the panko, stir until golden, and set aside.

4. In a large pot over medium-high heat, melt 2 T. of the butter. When the butter has melted, remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the flour until smooth. Return to heat, add the milk and whisk constantly until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Add the salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Stir in the blue cheese and cook, stirring, just until melted. Turn off the heat.

5. Add the broccoli to the sauce and toss to coat. Spoon the mixture into a gratin dish, smooth the surface, and top with the buttered bread crumbs. Bake until bubbling around the edges and golden on top, about 20 minutes. Serve hot.