Another Sunday favourite in our house is cauliflower cheese with our Sunday roast. Although sometimes we mix it up a little and do broccolis cheese, or even cheesy leeks.
I thought again I would share my recipe and method with you.
Ingredients
50g unsalted butter
50g plain flour
500g milk
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
200g extra mature cheddar grated
100g parmesan grated
2 heads cauliflower cut into florets
Method
Pre heat your oven to 180ºc
Place the butter in a saucepan and place on a gentle heat. add the flour and whisk to make a smooth paste.
Gradually add the milk, each time whisking to form a smooth paste before adding the next glug. TIP; the slower you add and whisk the milk the less light you will end up with a lumpy sauce!
When all of the milk is added turn down to a low heat and cook for 10 minutes stirring roguery to prevent it catching.
Add half of the cheddar and the mustard and whisk until smooth. Season with salt. set to one side with a cover over to prevent it forming a skin.TIP; you can add more or less mustard, it's up to you here!
Bring a pan of water up to the boil. Add the cauliflower and cook for 3-4 minutes until slightly tender. Empty into a colander and shake. place the colander on top of the now empty pan of water and leave for 3-4 minutes. The steam helps to dry the cauliflower as if there is too much water on it the cheese sauce will become thin.
Place the cauliflower in a clean mixing bowl and add as much of the cheese sauce as you wish, we like it so there is extra sauce when cooked so would use it all but you may wish to just coat the cauliflower. Check the seasoning again and add more salt if required. TIP; additional sauce will keep for 3-4 days in an air tight container in your fridge.
Spoon the cauliflower into an oven proof dish and sprinkle with the remaining cheddar and then with the parmesan. Place on an oven tray and pop in the oven for 25-30 minutes until golden brown. Serve.
If you wish to use broccolis then just swap this for the cauliflower, the only difference is I would plunge the broccolis into cold water when tender to prevent it over cooking and then make sure I get as much of the water off it as I can before adding the sauce. We've also added roast butternut squash in with the broccolis too which was delicious!
If you opt for the leeks then dice your leeks into large squares and wash. drain as much water as you can and mix with the cheese sauce - there's no need to do the boiling water stage as these will cook in the oven.
If you want an easy mid week dinner, place a thick piece of cod onto of the leeks when they are about 10 minutes from being golden and continue to bake for a great cod & leek mornay!