Whole baked cauliflower with cheese sauce
Ingredients
Method- 1 whole cauliflower
- 2 t olive oil
- 1 T butter
- 1 T flour
- ½ cup milk
- 1 cup mature white Cheddar cheese, grated
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- pinch Nutmeg
Method
IngredientsPreheat the oven to 190°C.
Trim the thick stalk from the cauliflower and wash the cauliflower thoroughly. Rub it lightly with olive oil, then place on a baking tray and cover with tin foil.
Buy firm cauliflower with no brown spots on the florets. The stem and leaves should be crisp and shouldn’t have a rubbery texture (a sign your cauli is getting on a bit). Store in the fridge in a sealed Ziploc bag for up to five days (cut a whole head into florets to save space) or wax paper. Roast for 30 minutes.
Melt the butter in a small saucepan over a medium heat. Add the flour and cook, stirring continually, for 1 minute. Add the milk a little at a time, stirring until smooth before adding more. Cook over a low heat until the sauce has thickened slightly, then add the cheese and mix until smooth and melted. Season and add the nutmeg.
Pour the cheese sauce over the cauliflower. Return to the oven, uncovered, and roast for a further 30 minutes. Grill on high for the last 5 minutes to crisp.
Chef's note: “Whole, sweet cauliflower smothered in cheesy sauce is classic Sunday lunch side."
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