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Marie Mitchell’s brussels sprout cheese

Name: Marie Mitchell’s brussels sprout cheese
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: Serves 6 as a side
Ingredients: 1 onion, halved; 500ml whole milk; 6 black peppercorns; 2 bay leaves; 1 large leek, halved lengthways; 500g brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved; Olive oil to fry; 2 slices sourdough bread, torn into chunks; 50g unsalted butter; 50g plain flour; 75g parmesan or vegetarian equivalent, finely grated; Freshly ground nutmeg

By: Chef and author, Marie Mitchell

Published: 4 Dec 24
Updated: 17 Dec 24

Marie Mitchell’s brussels sprout cheese will become your new favourite festive side. This sprout-centric twist on cauliflower cheese is topped with golden chunks of sourdough and a generous sprinking of parmesan.

Marie says: “I’ve never been a cauliflower cheese person, even though I love all the elements. But swap the cauli for sprouts, and add a healthy amount of nutmeg and some crunchy croutons, and I find myself eagerly wanting to nibble the components while bringing this dish together.”

A chef, writer and mental health advocate, Marie’s passion for food centres on bringing people together to nourish mind, body and soul. She loves exploring food through seasonality and her Caribbean cultural heritage. Her debut cookbook, Kin: Caribbean Recipes For The Modern Kitchen, is out now. Follow Marie on Instagram @marie_mitchell_

Get organised for the big day with our make-ahead Christmas sides.

Easy
December 2024

Test kitchen approved

Serves 6 as a side
Hands-on time 45 min. Oven time 30 min

Get organised for the big day with our make-ahead Christmas sides.

Vegetarian

Nutrition: per serving

Calories: 267kcals
Fat: 15g (9g saturated)
Protein: 12g
Carbohydrates: 19g (7.2g sugars)
Fibre: 4.4g
Salt: 0.4g

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Ingredients

1 onion, halved
500ml whole milk
6 black peppercorns
2 bay leaves
1 large leek, halved lengthways
500g brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
Olive oil to fry
2 slices sourdough bread, torn into chunks
50g unsalted butter
50g plain flour
75g parmesan or vegetarian equivalent, finely grated
Freshly ground nutmeg

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Method

Put an oven tray under the grill and heat to high. While you wait, put the onion, milk, peppercorns and bay leaves in a medium saucepan over a low-medium heat. Once bubbles start to form around the edges, remove from the heat and set aside to infuse for 15 minutes.
Put the leek on the heated tray, cut-side down. Grill for 15-20 minutes until the outside layer has blackened. Peel off the blackened layer and discard, then roughly chop the remainder and set aside.
Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to the boil. Add the sprouts and cook for 2-4 minutes, depending on size. Drain and set aside to steam-dry.

Heat the oven to 190°C/170°C fan/gas 5. Heat a glug of oil in a large frying pan over a low-medium heat. Add the torn sourdough and fry for 3-5 minutes, turning occasionally, until crisp. Set aside.
Put the butter in a saucepan over a medium heat. Once foaming, add the flour and whisk to form a paste. Slowly add the infused milk, pouring it through a fine sieve to remove the solids and whisking between additions to make a smooth sauce. Continue cooking and stirring for 5-10 minutes until thickened, then fold in half the parmesan and season to taste.
Tip the sprouts and leeks into a baking dish, then pour the sauce over the top, making sure they’re all coated. Sprinkle over the remaining parmesan and grate over a generous amount of nutmeg. Grind over some black pepper, then add the croutons. Bake for 30 minutes or until bubbling and golden on top.