You could call this (adopting a bad New York accent here) ‘cauliflower and cheese on rye’, since it tastes fantastic on dark rye bread. You can't beat mature Cheddar but you could try a crumbly Lancashire, or go blue with Stilton.
Ingredients
- 500g cauliflower (about 1 small one or ½ a large one), cut into bite-size florets
- 30g butter, plus extra for spreading
- 2 tbsp plain flour
- 400ml milk
- 200g mature, crumbly cheese (or vegetarian alternative)
- ¼ whole nutmeg, freshly grated
- 1 egg yolk
- 4 slices dark rye bread
Method
- 1. Cook the cauliflower in boiling water for 8-10 minutes, until just tender with a little crunch left. Drain thoroughly and set aside.
- 2. Heat the butter in a small pan and add the flour. Cook, stirring constantly, for a minute or so and remove from the heat. Add the milk, a little at a time, stirring in each addition. Return the pan to the heat and cook gently for 8-10 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened.
- 3. Stir in the cheese and nutmeg, then the cauliflower, and season to your liking. Remove from the heat and fold in the egg yolk.
- 4. Preheat the grill to high and toast the rye bread. Allow it to cool and butter lightly. Top each slice with the cauliflower, then pop under the grill and cook for a few minutes, until the topping has browned nicely.
Nutritional info
Per serving: 505kcals, 33.8g fat (20.8g saturated), 24.1g protein, 25.7g carbs, 8.3g sugar, 1.6g salt
Chef's tip
If you want to do this as a starter for a more formal meal, or if you just like garnishes, try this. Heat 100ml olive oil in a small pan. When it is hot, add 10-12 whole sage leaves – this is best done in 2 batches. Fry the leaves for no more than a minute or so, then remove them with a slotted spoon and allow to drain on kitchen towel. Crumble 1 dried red chilli or 1/4 teaspoon crushed chillies over the sage leaves, then scatter the sage over the cauliflower cheese just before serving. When sprouting broccoli is on the market try swapping them for the cauliflower.