My ultimate cauliflower cheese
1 HOUR + INFUSING | SERVES 6 | EASY |
whole milk 600ml bay leaf 1 white onion 1 small, halved
cauliflower 2 small or 1 large (750g), broken into florets
plain flour 4 tbsp
salted butter 50g
nutmeg for grating
cayenne pepper a pinch
white pepper freshly ground, for seasoning
dijon mustard 1 tbsp
parmesan (or vegetarian alternative) 30g, finely grated, plus a little extra for topping mature cheddar, gruyère or comté 100g, grated, plus extra for the topping
CRISPY SHALLOTS
rice flour 1 tbsp
shallots 2 long, peeled and finely sliced
neutral oil for frying and the tin
1 Pour the milk into a large pan set over a medium heat with the bay leaf and onion halves. Heat to just below boiling, then remove from the heat and steep while you prepare the other ingredients. For the crispy shallots, put the rice flour in a small bowl and tip in the sliced shallots, tossing to coat. Heat a 21/2cm depth of neutral oil in a non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat, carefully lower in the coated shallot slices and fry for 1-2 minutes or until crisp and golden but not too dark. Scoop out onto a plate lined with kitchen paper using a spider or slotted spoon and leave to drain. Season with a little sea salt. Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6.
2 Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and cook the cauliflower florets for
3 minutes, then drain and run under cold water to stop the cooking process. Oil a roasting tin or ovenproof dish and tip in the florets. Strain the infused milk, discarding the aromatics, and reheat until just warm. Whisk in the flour and butter, and cook for 5-8 minutes or until smooth and thickened. Season well with nutmeg, a pinch of cayenne and some white pepper, then stir in the mustard, parmesan and cheddar until it has completely melted. Taste for seasoning, adding more nutmeg, cayenne or pepper, or a little salt, as needed.
3 Pour the cheese sauce over the cauliflower in the tin and bake for 25 minutes, then scatter over the crispy shallots and sprinkle over more parmesan and cheddar. Bake for 10 minutes more until the topping is golden and crisp.
PER SERVING 345 kcals | fat 21G saturates 11.7G | carbs 23G | sugars 9.1G fibre 3.8G | protein 14.1G | salt 1G