The best cauliflower cheese

Name: The best cauliflower cheese
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 1 large cauliflower; 2 tbsp Essential Olive Oil; 35 g Cooks’ Ingredients Croutons; 20 g pack sage, leaves; 25 g Parmigiano Reggiano

A bubbling dish of cauliflower cheese is perhaps one of the most underrated dishes on a Christmas table, with some people even wondering if it belongs there. Martha Collison believes it definitely does.

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Serves6
CourseSide
Prepare15 mins
Cook50 mins
Total time1 hr 5 mins

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1 large cauliflower
2 tbsp Essential Olive Oil
35g Cooks’ Ingredients Croutons
½ x 20g pack sage, leaves
25g Parmigiano Reggiano

For the sauce

60g butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp plain flour
550ml milk
1 tsp English mustard
Nutmeg, for grating
75g mature Cheddar, grated
50g No.1 Appleby’s Farmhouse Cheshire Cheese, grated

Preheat the oven to 220ºC, gas mark 7. Break the head of the cauliflower into florets, cutting any larger pieces in half. Reserve the stem and leaves to use later (see tips). Place the florets into a large roasting dish and drizzle with the oil. Season lightly, then bake for 20 minutes, until golden but not completely cooked through. Finely dice the cauliflower stalk and set aside.
Meanwhile, make the cheese sauce. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan and cook over a low heat for 4-5 minutes until the butter is foamy and the milk solids have turned brown and smell nutty. Add the garlic and diced cauliflower stalk and cook for 1-2 minutes, until the garlic is golden. Stir in the flour and cook for a few minutes more to form a paste.
Pour in the milk a little at a time, whisking constantly, to form a smooth, thick sauce. Add the mustard, a pinch of finely grated nutmeg, and three-quarters of the Cheddar and Cheshire cheeses. Mix well until completely melted.
Tip the roasted cauliflower into a 2L baking dish and pour the sauce over the top. Stir well so each floret is coated. Sprinkle over the remaining cheese. At this point, you can cool, then cover the cauliflower cheese and refrigerate for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months (see tips).
Using a mini food processor or sharp knife, finely chop the croutons, sage and parmesan together to make a crumbly topping. When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 200ºC, gas mark 6. Sprinkle the top with the crumbs, then bake for 25-30 minutes, or until bubbling and golden. Serve piping hot, garnished with a few whole sage leaves, if liked.

Cook’s tip

Types of cheese
Cheddar is the obvious choice for cauliflower cheese, and the tangy sharpness contrasts wonderfully with the brassica, but English cheeses such as Cheshire and Lancashire impart similar punchiness with earthy undertones that lift the dish – give it a try!

Cauliflower leaves
Did you know the leaves of a cauliflower are edible? Toss them with a little olive oil and seasoning, then roast in a hot oven for 20-30 minutes until crisp around the edges and tender in the centre. Serve with roasted garlic aïoli for a zero-waste starter or snack.

Make ahead
Save yourself stress on the day by prepping this ahead of time. The unbaked dish can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days, or frozen for 3 months. Defrost and bring to room temperature, then top with the crumb and bake for 25-30 minutes.

And to drink...

On episode 14, season 6 of Dish, the Waitrose podcast, Angela pairs this recipe with No.1 Piccini Chianti Classico Riserva. It’s aged for at least two years, producing delicate scents of rose petal and sweet spice and flavours of plum, cherry and dried rosemary.

Typical values per serving when made using specific products in recipe