Recipe- Delicious Cauliflower Cheese

Cauliflower Cheese is a British dish that is served as a side or even as a main (vegetarian!) It’s a cauliflower bake, smothered in a creamy cheese sauce that’s popped in the oven until bubbly and golden. While perhaps not the lightest dish in my repertoire, it is however hands down the most delicious cauliflower recipe I know!

Ingredients

Roasted cauliflower:

1kg / 2 lb cauliflower florets
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/8 tsp pepper

Cheese sauce

60g / 4 tbsp unsalted butter
3½ tbsp flour , plain / all-purpose
1 cup milk
1 cup cream
1/2 tsp cooking salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg powder
1 cup Red Leicester cheese (or cheddar), grated
1/2 cup gruyère cheese , grated

Topping:

1/2 cup Red Leicester cheese (or cheddar), grated
1/2 cup gruyère cheese , grated

Method

Roasted cauliflower:

- Preheat oven to 220°C / 430°F (200°C fan).

- Toss cauliflower in oil, salt and pepper. Spread on a large tray.

- Roast 20 minutes (don't turn). Cauliflower should still be a bit firm, but with some colour on them. Remove from oven.

- Turn oven down to 180°C/350°F.

Cheese sauce (Mornay sauce):

- Heat milk: Heat milk and cream until hot – either on the stove or in microwave.

- Make roux: Melt butter in a large saucepan or small pot over medium heat. Add flour and cook, stirring regularly, for 3 minutes.

- Add milk: While stirring, pour in half the milk. Once the roux is dissolved into the milk (mixture will thicken), stir in remaining milk. Stir on the heat for 1 minute – mixture should be thick enough to coat a wooden spoon.

- Add cheese: Turn the stove off, but leave the pot on the turned off stove. Stir in salt, nutmeg and both cheeses. The cheese will thicken the mixture so it's like a thick sauce.

- Mix in cauliflower: Add cauliflower and toss to coat in the sauce.

Bake:

- Fill baking dish: Transfer mixture to a 2L / 2qt baking dish (30 x 20 x 5cm / 12 x 8 x 2").

- Top with cheese: Sprinkle over gruyère followed Red Leicester cheese.

- Bake at 180°C/350°F for 30 minutes until the cheese is melted, and cauliflower is bubbly and golden.

- Serve: Sprinkle with parsley if desired. Stand 5 minutes then serve!