You can’t have a roast without cauliflower cheese. It’s the crowning glory of any plate of meat and gravy. And it’s also pretty darn delish eaten on its own, or served up alongside glazed ham.
We can’t count the number of times we’ve been served watery, insipid cauliflower cheese. Our method will ensure yours is savoury, cheesy, and luxuriously creamy. It really is the only recipe you’ll ever need, and your friends and family will beg you for it!
Ingredients (serves 4-6 with a roast or main dish or 2 as a main course with salad)
- 1 large head cauliflower
- A few spoons of melted butter
- Seasoning
For the sauce:
- 40g plain flour
- 40g butter
- 300ml double cream
- 300ml milk
- 3 tbsp yeast flakes
- 2 tsp mustard powder
- 1 tsp ground paprika
- 1 tsp garlic granules
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- ½ tsp cracked black peppercorns
- Splash Worcestershire Sauce
- 200g very strong Cheddar
- Salt to taste
To finish:
- 100g white breadcrumbs
- 100g strong Cheddar
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
Method
1. Set the oven to 210C.
2. Break the cauliflower into large bite-sized pieces. Steam in a pan or steamer for 2-3 minutes.
3. Pat the cauliflower pieces dry with kitchen paper and toss in a bowl with the melted butter and some seasoning. Roast for 25-30 minutes until golden. Turn the oven down to 190C.
4. While the cauliflower cooks, make the sauce.
5. Melt the butter and add the flour. Cook out, stirring with a wooden spoon, until it colours slightly and smells biscuitty. Combine the milk with the cream and gradually beat it in over a low heat, bit by bit, to make a smooth sauce.
6. Add the grated cheese, yeast flakes, garlic granules, mustard powder, Worcestershire sauce, paprika, nutmeg and cracked black pepper. Stir to melt in the cheese over a low heat. Taste to see if you need to add any salt.
7. Combine the sauce with the cauliflower and pour into a buttered dish. Top with the thyme, Cheddar and breadcrumbs. You can now freeze the entire dish (wrapped well). Otherwise, bake the cauliflower cheese until it’s bubbling, and the breadcrumbs are golden on top. This is extra delicious the day after cooking.
