Cauliflower and Diots Tartiflette
A fusion recipe of the classic Tartiflette
A Tartiflette… by any other name…to quote part of a well-known line from Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet; what matters is what it is – not what it’s called! Well in this case it is another fusion version of the classic Tartiflette. A cauliflower and Diots Tartiflette! Obviously, the Reblochon Cheese being the star of the Tartiflette must always be included. (In my opinion) However in this particular ‘Tartiflette’ that is all that remains!
Or Cauliflower Cheese takes centre stage
You could call this a take on a cauliflower cheese, although this dish takes centre stage, rather than being a mere side dish. This dish is not vegetarian or vegan – I know, I’m not on trend, but believe me it would be tough to live in the Haute Savoie and deny yourself the plethora of wonderful cheeses and charcuterie on offer here. We could call this a lower carb version of a Tartiflette as the cauliflower replaces the potatoes.
So apart from the cauliflower and the Reblochon cheese, the other main ingredient in this Tartiflette is the Diot sausage. Diots are a Savoyard sausage, a dense, meaty flavourful sausage and they come in different flavours, smoked, sometimes with cheese in and nature. I chose the smoked Diots for this recipe as they have a great flavour. You will often find the classic dish Diots au Vin Blanc on a menu du jour in the Haute Savoie and Savoie regions.
Which Reblochon Cheese to use?
The Reblochon cheese from the Haute Savoie – there are 2 different grades of Reblochon, the red seal one is milder and good for cooking or the green seal one which is Reblochon Fermier and has a stronger flavour, great on a cheeseboard and equally good in a Tartiflette. I used the Reblochon Fermier for this gutsy Tartiflette to give a good strength of flavour to the cheese to complement the smokiness of the Diots.
Cauliflower and Diots Tartiflette
Equipment
- Large ovenproof dish for baking
Ingredients
- 1 head of cauliflower
- 1 onion
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 packet of 4 Smoked Diots
- 1 whole Reblochon
- A few tablespoons of Crème Fraiche
- Mixture of olive oil and unsalted butter for frying
- A little salt and a good amount of freshly ground pepper – be careful of adding too much salt.
Instructions
- Cut the cauliflower into florets and parboil for about 4 minutes in boiling water. Then rinse in cold water to stop it cooking further and leave it to drain.
- Cook the Diots according to their packet, normally roasted in the oven for around 20 – 30 minutes – I find this the best way to cook Diots. Although they can be boiled or grilled. Leave them to cool and cut them into small pieces.
- Chop the onion finely and fry over a medium heat in a mixture of unsalted butter and olive oil. When the onion has softened add the garlic and sauté for a few minutes. Add the parboiled cauliflower and chopped pieces of Diots and mix together, leave the heat on low and add in the Crème Fraiche. I like to have everything coated well in Crème Fraiche but not so much that you have a runny sauce.
- Place this mixture into your ovenproof baking dish and top with slices of Reblochon cheese. I chose to cut my Reblochon in half widthways and then into triangles and arrange to cover the top.
- Cook in a preheated oven for around 20 – 25 minutes until golden brown and bubbling on top.
- Serve with a fresh green salad and a good crusty baguette
Notes
Bon Appetit!
Try some other recipes using Diots - The Savoyard Sausage
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