Best cauliflower cheese… ever!

In my home, I make sure always to serve something smothered in a rich cheese sauce and baked to golden perfection.

Serves 6

45 ml olive oil

200 g diced bacon

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

55 g (60 ml) butter

35 g (60 ml) flour

660 ml milk

100 g Parmesan cheese, finely grated

400 g cauliflower florets

10 ml ground nutmeg salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat air-fryer on air-fry function to 180°C. Place a pot in the air-fryer basket. Place oil, bacon and garlic in pot. Air-fry for 5-8 minutes or until bacon is crispy. Transfer mixture to a bowl and set aside. Heat the same pot on the stovetop until hot (sorry, you can’t make cheese sauce in an air-fryer!) and place butter in it. Whisk butter while adding the flour. Add all the milk in one go. Keep stirring to ensure flour mixture blends smoothly into the milk. Bring to the boil, stirring until the mixture is thick and creamy and the flour is cooked through, about 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat and add half of the Parmesan. Stir until smooth. Taste and season with salt and pepper – but take it easy with the salt, as Parmesan is already quite salty. Add cooked bacon mixture and stir through. Set aside. Bring a pot with about 5 cm of water to the boil. Add cauliflower florets to the pot and cover with a lid. Steam for 10-15 minutes or until cauliflower is tender but still firm. Place cauliflower in a dish that fits in the air-fryer basket and spoon the bacon-and-cheese sauce over the cauliflower. Sprinkle with nutmeg and remaining Parmesan. Place in air-fryer and cook for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Serve.