Cauliflower Cheese

Інгредієнти

1½ litres whole milk

2 bay leaves

10 whole black peppercorns

¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 small cauliflower heads, outer leaves left on (1.7kg)

For the bechamel sauce:

80g unsalted butter

80g plain flour

⅛ tsp cayenne pepper

100g mature cheddar, coarsely grated

80g emmental, coarsely grated

100g mature stilton, broken into 1cm chunks

50g walnut halves, broken into 1cm pieces

1 tbsp tarragon leaves, roughly chopped

Напрямки

Heat the oven to 230C/450F/gas mark 8. Pour the milk into a saucepan large enough to fit both cauliflower heads snugly, and for which you have a lid, then add the bay leaves, peppercorns, nutmeg and a quarter-teaspoon of salt. Bring the milk to a boil over a medium heat, stirring regularly so the milk doesn’t catch on the bottom of the pan. Once the milk is boiling, gently lower in the cauliflower heads (the milk should come about halfway up their sides), cover and leave to simmer for 11 minutes. Flip the heads over (so the top half is now under the milk), check that the milk isn’t catching (give it a good stir), then simmer for another 11 minutes, or until the cauliflowers are cooked and soft. Lift them out and put them in a 32cm x 25cm ovenproof dish into which they fit snugly.

Strain the milk into a large jug, then measure out 830ml; the aromatics and any remaining milk can now be discarded.

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter on a medium-high heat. Meanwhile, in a small bowl mix the flour, cayenne pepper and an eighth of a teaspoon of salt. Once the butter has melted, add the dry ingredients to the pan and stir together with a wooden spoon. Cook for about a minute, stirring constantly, then take off the heat and add the hot milk a little at a time, stirring to incorporate every addition to avoid any lumps before adding more (you can add it in larger doses towards the end). You should end up with a smooth, glossy sauce.

Return the pan to a medium heat and, stirring constantly, bring the sauce up to a boil. Turn down the heat to a simmer and cook gently for two minutes, still stirring all the while, until the sauce thickens. Add all the cheddar and emmental, and 80g of the stilton, stir until the cheese melts, then stir in an eighth of a teaspoon of salt and a good grind of pepper.

Pour the bechamel sauce evenly over the cauliflowers, then sprinkle the remaining stilton and the walnuts on top. Bake for 20 minutes, until the cauliflowers are evenly golden and nicely charred in places, then remove from the oven, sprinkle the tarragon on top and serve warm or at room temperature.