Entertaining

Cauliflower bake

Name: Cauliflower bake recipe
Yield: 7
Ingredients: 1.5 kg whole cauliflower with leaves attached; 2 tbs butter; 2 tbs olive oil; 1l milk; 120g unsalted butter; 80g plain flour; 400g grated mature cheese such as Gruyere; Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

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by James Grant and Alex Elliott-Howery

The husband-and-wife team behind Cornersmith café

Feb 24, 2024

“Baking vegetables in a cheesy béchamel is very decadent. This cooking technique suits all sorts of vegetables, and it is also a wonderful way to turn the fibrous parts of vegetables into velvety, creamy bites. We use the whole cauliflower– leaves, stems, the lot. The leaves and stems are fibrous, but sauté them into submission and they will give you great texture and flavour. Serve with a light green salad for a yummy easy dinner.” – Jamiee Edwards and Alex Elliott-Howery

1.5 kg whole cauliflower with leaves attached
2 tbs butter
2 tbs olive oil

Cheese sauce

4 cups (1L) Woolworths Full Cream Milk
120g unsalted butter
80g plain flour
400g grated mature cheese such as Gruyere
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Method

1.

Strip the leaves and remove the stems from the cauliflower and chop both into 2cm pieces. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil.
2.

Meanwhile, melt the butter and oil in a frypan over medium heat. Add the chopped leaves and stems, along with a pinch of salt, then increase the heat slightly and cook for 15 minutes or until tender.
3.

When the water comes to the boil, add the cauliflower florets to the saucepan and simmer for 2 minutes. Drain and set aside. The leaves and stalks should be finished sauteing now, but taste and cook for a little longer if they are still tough.
4.

Set aside.
5.

Preheat the oven to 220°C.
6.

For the cheese sauce, heat the milk to just below boiling point.
7.

In another saucepan, melt the butter and flour over low heat and stir to make a roux, but do not let it brown. Add the warm milk, 1/2 cup (125ml) at a time, and stir constantly with a wooden spoon or whisk until you have a thick white sauce. Add 300g grated cheese and salt and pepper to taste, and stir until melted.
8.

Spread the cauliflower leaves and stems in the base of a small baking dish and top with the florets. Pour the cheese sauce all over the cauliflower and scatter over remaining 100g grated cheese and bake for 30-40 minutes. Serve hot.