Cauliflower cheese

     In The Kitchen Diaries Nigel Slater says he can live without cauliflower. Nigella Lawson in How to Eat includes cauliflower cheese in the section on feeding babies and small children, but who doesn't relish nursery food from time to time? Sarah Raven's Garden Cookbook gives a recipe for an Edwardian version of the dish with "Lord Dalrymple's top", which is a souffle mixture (interesting), while Jane Grigson in her  Vegetable Book suggests using Gruyere for the sauce.



     I opted to follow another Grigson, Jane's daughter Sophie, when I used her recipe for supper last night. The sauce is made with good Cheddar and Parmesan, enriched with a little cream, spiked with lemon juice and gently spiced with nutmeg. The topping is fine breadcrumbs and more of the Parmesan.



Whether you consider it a savoury course from a grand dinner, a little something on a tray to be eaten by the fire, or a simple kitchen staple, I think it's not without its charms - but as only three out of five of us will eat it, my view is not universally shared!

 

Comments

[Peter the Flautist]

Dark Puss and family are fond of Cauliflower Cheese soup, a recipe from John Tovey (ex Miller Howe Cookbook). We are also fond of the classic Italian pasta sauce made from cauliflower florets, chilli and anchovy paste.

[aliceq]

Cauliflower is just coming into season here, which means I can get it fresh-picked at my favorite farmstand. This, in turn, means that I can make all manner of delightful cauliflower creations.

[Tara]

We all three love cauliflower cheese around here as well as Cauliflower cheese pie which my child requests. I use Ina Garten's recipe for cauliflower gratin:

http://www.barefootcontessa.com/recipes_inside/9.html

[Terri - teelgee]

Oh I love a good cauliflower, and with a cheese sauce? mmmmManna! I don't understand people who don't love the brassicas.

[GeraniumCat]

As I scrolled down to read this post I realised that the good smell emanating from the kitchen was cauliflower. I do hope it's with cheese, my favourite comfort food of all time.

[Kelly]

Our super-easy cauliflower recipe: break into bite sized bits; toss with olive oil and pepper; roast on a baking tray (400 F / 200 C) for about 40 minutes until golden, turning occasionally; put into serving dish and cover with freshly grated cheddar cheese. Yum.

[Mrs C]

I'm certainly in the cauliflower fan club.

One particularly delicious recipe that we've found though is in Jamie Oliver's Cook with Jamie book and is for potato and cauliflower dauphinois. He's combined with with a roast rack of lamb in his book, but Mr C and I love it with loads of other dishes. Not thought of eating it on its own yet, but can vouch that it is absolutely delicious and definitely a recipe work seeking out.

I think it may now also have to feature in this weekend's meals!

[Louise]

Perhaps we should cultivate a campaign to champion the Cauliflower!

[Juxtabook]

We all love cauliflower cheese here . It is our four year old's favourite but we love it too. I do it very simply, because of the four year old, but with macaroni in too. As daughter is not great at drinking milk or eating yoghurt or custard we have this dish a lot as a calcium boost for her, to which end I also add ground almonds to the top, under the greated cheese which makes the most wonderful crunchy topping as well as adding to the calcium and the protein for her.

[adele geras]

Another cauliflower fan here! And I will try that recipe with the lemon, cream and nutmeg. But let me share my favourite recipe, courtesy of my Moroccan granny. Break cauliflower in to bite sized bits. Dip in egg and flour and fry for a few minutes till the coating is browning nicely in places. Lay pieces in a big pot on top of the cauliflower leaves with which you've previously lined the pot ....cover with a bit of water and a lot of lemon juice...not too much liquid but just enough to keep the whole thing from sticking and amounts of lemon juice can be varied according to how lemony you like it....Add salt and black pepper and simmer for about twenty minutes or so then eat either hot or cold after a night in the fridge when it's truly delicious too. The leaves, by the way, also become lemony and lovely and I have never understood why they are thrown away!

[lindsay bagshaw]

Love it - can I come to supper?