THE ULTIMATE CAULIFLOWER CHEESE

60 MINS

SERVES 4

FOR THE VEGETABLES – 1 medium butternut squash, left unpeeled but deseeded and cut into 2cm chunks

– 1½ tbsp butter, plus 1 tsp – 1 large cauliflower and its leaves (about 1.2kg), broken into florets

– 40g oats

– 30g skinned hazelnuts or whole almonds, roughly chopped

– 12 sage leaves

FOR THE SAUCE

– 500ml whole milk – 1 garlic clove, crushed – 1 bay leaf

– 4 tbsp butter

– 30g flour (I use gram – chickpea – flour) – 150g mixture of strong cheeses, such as 50/50 cheddar and Gruyère or Parmesan

– ¼ tsp grated nutmeg – 1 tsp Dijon mustard – ⅛ tsp cayenne or a pinch of chilli flakes

Preheat the oven to 240C/ 220C fan/gas mark 8. Place the squash in a large baking dish with the tablespoon and a half of butter, and some salt and pepper. Roast for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring the milk, garlic and bay leaf up to a simmer in a medium saucepan. Take off the heat, pour into a jug and set aside for 15 minutes, then remove the bay and garlic.

Add the cauliflower florets and roughly chopped leaves to the squash and toss together. Roast for 15 minutes, until the florets are just tender.

Put the pan back on the hob and melt the butter for the sauce, then add the flour and whisk for a few minutes until smooth.

On a very low heat, pour in the infused milk, a little at first, while stirring or whisking all the time and adding more as you go. Leave the sauce to simmer for 10 minutes or so.

Roughly grate the cheese, and after the 10 minutes are up add the cheddar and half the Gruyère or Parmesan to the pan, with the nutmeg, mustard and cayenne or chilli flakes. Stir, take off the heat and season.

By now, the squash and cauliflower will be just tender and turning golden at the edges. Bring the dish out of the oven and pour over the cheese sauce. Scatter over the oats, nuts and remaining cheese, then return to the oven for 20 minutes, turning the grill on high for the last five to get a golden top, if you like. Leave to sit for 10 minutes before diving in (you can make the salad in this time).

Just before serving, fry the sage leaves in the teaspoon of butter and scatter these on.