Cauliflower cheese This classic dish is perfect during late winter and early spring months when cauliflower is at its best. Childhood associations make this a comforting option, but its also lighter than you think being vegetarian and low in carbohydrates. Use as a side dish with your roast dinner or as a warming main course with some crusty bread. Serves: 3 as a main course, 5-6 as a side dish Preparation time: 15 minutes (plus 1 hour infusing) Cooking time: 45 minutes 1 large cauliflower (about 1kg untrimmed), trimmed and cut into large florets For the sauce: 300ml whole milk ½ onion, cut in two 1 bay leaf, twisted A few black peppercorns 20g unsalted butter 20g plain flour 100g strong, mature Cheddar cheese, grated 25g Parmesan or mature hard goat’s cheese, grated (optional) ¼ tsp English mustard Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 1. For the sauce, put the milk into a saucepan with the onion, bay and peppercorns. Bring to just below simmering point, then turn off the heat. Leave to infuse for at least 30 minutes, an hour or two if possible. 2. Meanwhile, cook the cauliflower in a pan of boiling salted water for three to four minutes until almost tender but still a bit al dente. Drain well, allowing it to steam off for a minute or so, then keep warm. 3. If the milk has cooled completely, warm it gently before straining it into a jug. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over a fairly low heat, then stir in the flour to form a smooth paste (a roux). Cook gently, stirring frequently, for one to two minutes. Remove from the heat and add a third of the warm milk. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon, or a whisk, until you have a thick, smooth paste. Add the rest of the milk in one or two lots. Return the sauce to the heat and bring to the boil, stirring. Let it bubble for two minutes, stirring occasionally, to ‘cook out’ any raw taste of flour. Turn the heat right down. 4. Set aside about 25g of the Cheddar and add the rest to the hot sauce, along with the Parmesan, if using, and mustard. Stir gently until the cheese has melted into the sauce; don’t let it boil again. Season. 5. Combine the cauliflower with the hot cheese sauce, gently folding the florets into the sauce until well coated. Transfer to a greased ovenproof dish, scatter the remaining cheese over the top and bake at 190°C/375°F/gas mark 5 for about 20 minutes, until golden and bubbling. Serve as a main course, with bread, or as a side dish.
Posted on: Mon, 25 Nov 2013 09:01:48 +0000
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