Caramelised Cauliflower Cheese
This nutty and rich dish - which works well as a festive roast side dish or even as a main course in its own right - is a step up for cauliflower cheese, with cauliflower puree used for sauce. I like it best with the addition of smoked cheese on top.
Ingredients
Serves 4-6
- 2 medium heads cauliflower, leaves removed
- 100g butter
- 500ml milk
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp thyme leaves
- 100g smoked Applewood cheese, grated
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
Preheat the oven to 230°C/210°C fan/gas 8.
Cut the stem from the cauliflowers, trim and finely chop. Cut the cauliflowers into very small florets.
Heat half of the butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the chopped cauliflower stems and a third of the florets. Season well with salt and cook for around 15 minutes until a dark golden colour. Add the milk, mustard and Worcestershire sauce and blitz in a blender to make a smooth purée.
Melt the remaining 50g of butter in a pan. Place the remaining cauliflower florets on a roasting tray. Coat with the melted butter and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 25–30 minutes, stirring regularly, until golden.
Mix the roasted florets into the cauliflower purée with the thyme leaves and transfer to a large (approximately 20 x 30cm) pie dish or baking dish.
Mix the breadcrumbs and cheese together and place on top of the cauliflower mixture.
Bake for 15–20 minutes until the top is golden, then remove from the oven and serve.
Find this recipe and other festive sides in Marcus Everyday.
