Cauliflower Cheese

Cauliflower cheese is proof of one of the fundamental principles in cooking: there are very few foods that can’t be improved by adding a good helping of cheese.

It legitimises eating cheese as a main course which is never a bad thing, and it’s the best way to encourage little ones into eating otherwise unexciting cauliflower.

Although we enjoy cauliflower cheese at any time of the year, it has now become an important side dish at Christmas. I always make a big helping and there are never any leftovers. Christmas dinner certainly wouldn’t be complete without it. And as all the prep work can be done in advance, adding this to your Christmas menu is very easy.

One of the most important things is to make the cheese sauce from scratch. In my university days, I used those packet cheese sauces, but they are awful. A homemade cheese sauce really is easier than most people think. Once you have made it a few times, you’ll never buy a packet cheese sauce again.

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Cauliflower Cheese

5 from 1 vote

Cauliflower baked in a cheese sauce – ultimate British comfort food, and the perfect side dish at Christmas.

Ingredients

• Half head medium sized cauliflower (or enough to fill your preferred baking dish)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Cheese Sauce

• 50 grams butter
• 50 grams flour
• 500 ml milk
• 200 grams mature cheddar cheese (coarsely grated)
• Seasonal herbs to garnish

Instructions 

• Preheat the oven to 180°C.
• Cut the cauliflower into small florets and add to a large pan of salted boiling water, and parboil until the cauliflower florets can be pierced with a fork, but are still firm.
• Drain well, season well with salt and pepper and then add to a suitably sized baking dish.
• Make a roux with the butter and flour: add the butter to a small non-stick saucepan over a medium and heat the butter until it has mostly melted, then add the flour. Stir with a whisk until the a roux has formed and cook for 30 seconds, stirring continuously.
• Gradually add the milk, little by little stirring continuously with the whisk until well incorporated before adding more milk, until all the milk has been added.
• Stir continuously until the sauce thickens (about 2 minutes) then add the grated cheese and continue to stir until the cheese has melted into the sauce.
• Poor the sauce over the cauliflower.
• Bake on the top shelf for 40-45 or until the top of the cauliflower cheese is golden brown.
• If desired, add some grated cheese and seasonal herbs to garnish.

Notes

Prepare the day before by completing steps 1-7, then cover the baking dish with clingfilm and refrigerate. Take the baking dish out of the fridge 30-60mins before baking.