BAKED CAULIFLOWER FREGOLA WITH HAZELNUTS AND PRESERVED LEMON
Don’t like the smell of cooked cauliflower? Try simmering it lightly and then baking it. It takes on a whole new flavour and may well convert even the most hardened cauliphobe. The teeny fregola pebbles (rolled pasta balls) suck up the white sauce. With its toasted breadcrumbs, hardboiled eggs and chopped parsley, it is essentially a classic cauliflower polonaise, with just a few liberties taken.
Serves 4
1 baby cauliflower 300g fregola 130g butter 40g plain flour 500ml cold milk 70g grated Cheddar Salt flakes and cracked black pepper Pinch of grated nutmeg 120g stale sourdough breadcrumbs 35g hazelnuts, roughly chopped ¼ preserved lemon, chopped Small handful of flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped 8 sprigs thyme, leaves picked 3 free-range eggs, hard-boiled, peeled and chopped
1Quarter
the cauliflower from top to bottom, leaving the maximum amount of stem – on baby caulis it’s the best bit. Boil it in salted simmering water for about eight minutes or until just tender. Drain and refresh under cold water, then transfer to a shallow baking tray. 2Meanwhile,
bring a saucepan of salted water to the boil, add the fregola and cook according to the packet instructions (about 10 minutes). Drain, then add the fregola to the cauliflower. 3Preheat
the oven to 220°C. Melt 50g of butter in a small heavy-based saucepan over low heat. Add the flour and stir for a few minutes to cook but not colour, then slowly add the milk, stirring continuously. Increase the heat to medium and cook, stirring, for five minutes or until the mixture thickens. Stir in the Cheddar, then season with salt and pepper and add the nutmeg. Pour the cheese mixture over the cauliflower and fregola, and place in the oven for five minutes to heat through. 4Meanwhile,
heat a heavy-based saucepan over medium heat. Add the remaining butter and allow it to fizz and then become aromatic and brown, swirling the pan to prevent burning. Add the breadcrumbs and the heat will immediately ‘toast’ them; quickly tip them into a bowl and season with salt. Add the hazelnuts, preserved lemon and half the parsley and thyme, stirring to combine. 5Top
the baked cauliflower fregola with the breadcrumb mixture and season with pepper. Scatter over the chopped egg and remaining parsley and thyme and serve.