Sunday, September 30, 2012

Cauliflower Cheese

I think it was Rick Stein who said that Cauliflower Cheese is one of the dishes that gave British food a bad name, and he is right, so often it is overcooked with a dreadful sauce. Cooked properly so that it is slightly al dente with some Green leaves and a splendid Cheddar Cheese sauce it is what can be brilliant about British Food.
Nursery food, filled with childhood memories it is delicious I had this as a Supper dish last night, the rest I will use with Sunday Lunch.

Start by buying a large Cauliflower as fresh as you can get with white florets and beautiful green leaves

Take out the core and cut into rough quarters, then break them down a little more but please use the leaves too. Simply bring a pot of salted water to the boil, place the cauliflower in and cook for exactly 8 minutes with the lid on and add to a dish.

I had made beforehand the Cheese Sauce, take half an Onion stud it with cloves and a Bay leaf and some peppercorns and about a pint of full fat Milk, bring it to the boil take it off the heat and let the flavours infuse for about twenty minutes. Pour into a jug through a sieve and discard Onion bay and peppercorn, grate a little nutmeg into it

In a saucepan add a large knob of butter gently melt it and add a tbsp of plain Flour and a Teaspoon of Mustard powder and cook it gently into a roux.

Add the milk a little at a time using a pointed spoon, then a whisk. Add some grated Cheddar Cheese about a good handful and stir it in.

Now pour over your Cauliflower top with a little extra grated Cheese and put under the hottest Grill for a few minutes until it is bubbling and browned on top. Truly Delicious

7 comments:

  1. I am going to pop out to the produce market in a bit and look for a nice cauliflower. I really want to make this, it looks delicious. I will let you know how it turns out. The studded onion is an added bonus, I love that.

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  2. It is Delicious, just don't over cook it, these times worked perfectly, and be sure your Grill is preheated to max

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  3. I do like a mixture of cheeses with mine as I sometimes find just cheddar a little too cloying. But it is still one of my favourite side dishes.

    @laquet

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  4. Looks delicious. I like it as it's so easy to make. I wasn't aware you could use tha cabbage leaves....

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  5. Going to do this tonight to go with my slow cooked gammon http://jazebdonfood.blogspot.co.uk/, but don't have cauliflower so will experiment with broccoli... Wish me luck.

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  6. Try it with about half a finely chopped scotch bonnet chilli when making the roux, instead of, or as well as, the mustard powder.

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  7. Boy does that sound good! I am going to have to make this as soon as the weather cools down a bit here in North Carolina!

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