Next Level Cauliflower Cheese Recipe

This recipe pairs roasted cauliflower with a rich cheese sauce that packs a punch, sprinkled with delicious spices and crispy onions. Wonderful by itself, it’s also a great side dish alongside a meaty main course. Our Lidgate Steak Burgersare on offer this week, made from grass-fed beef and seasoned in a medium spice. Tasty on the barbecue or pan fried, burgers go with everything. As we head into autumn, this comforting and cosy cauliflower side would be a great match for our flavoursome burgers, and will have the family coming back for seconds. It’s easy to prepare, relatively quick to rustle up, and most of the magic happens in the oven. So, for your next dinner party, family get-together, or simple evening in, why not try it out?

INGREDIENTS

1 large cauliflower (cut into large florets)

2 tbsp olive oil

Pinch of cayenne pepper

40g Italian-style hard cheese (e.g., Parmesan)

For the sauce

50g butter

40g plain flour

600ml whole milk

1 tsp mustard powder

1 tsp yeast extract (optional)

150g extra mature cheddar (most grated, some cubed)

Grating of nutmeg

For the topping

3 tbsp dried breadcrumbs (e.g., panko)

2 tbsp crispy onions

METHOD 

1.     Heat the oven to 210C/190C fan/gas 7.

2.     Tip the cauliflower into a shallow baking dish and toss with the oil, cayenne and
a pinch of salt. Scatter with half the parmesan and roast for 20 mins until crisp and golden. Toss the florets, then sprinkle with more (but not all) of the parmesan and roast for 10 mins more until starting to char a little. Set aside.

3.     While the cauliflower is roasting, make the sauce. Heat the butter in a saucepan over a medium heat until frothy. Scatter over and stir in the flour, cooking for 3 mins until you have a sandy paste, then add the milk, a splash at a time, keeping it at a simmer and whisking between each addition until smooth.

 4.     Once all the milk has been added, continue to cook the sauce gently, stirring occasionally for 15 mins until thickened and silky, then stir through the mustard powder and yeast extract, if using. Remove from the heat and add the grated cheddar, a handful at a time, until you have a thick, cheesy sauce. At this point stir in the cubed cheese and season with nutmeg and salt, if needed.

 5.     Pour the sauce over the cauliflower in the baking dish to fully coat it. Mix the breadcrumbs with the remaining parmesan, then scatter this over the cauliflower cheese and bake for 20 mins. 

 6.     Sprinkle with the crispy onions and bake for a further 10 mins until bubbling and deep golden. Serve in warm and melting scoops from the baking dish.

Recipe originally found at: https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/next-level-cauliflower-cheese