Smoky cauliflower cheese
- Prepare
- less than 30 mins
- Cook
- 30 mins to 1 hour
- Serve
- Serves 6–8
Cauliflower cheese but not as you know it. It's still comforting and deliciously cheesy, but roasting cauliflower brings out a lovely nuttiness and smoked cheese and paprika in the sauce really ups the ante in the flavour stakes.
Ingredients
- 1 cauliflower, cut into florets and leaves cut into chunks
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 50g/1¾oz salted butter
- 50g/1¾oz plain flour
- 500ml/18fl oz full-fat milk
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 75g/2¾oz beechwood smoked cheese, grated
- 75g/2¾oz smoked cheddar, grated
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
Preheat the oven to 220C/200C Fan/Gas 7.
Put the cauliflower florets and leaves in a large roasting tin. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, oil, a sprinkle of salt and a good crack of black pepper. Use your hands to mix everything together well.
Roast for 25–30 minutes until the cauliflower starts to char slightly on the edges. Remove from the oven and set aside to steam for at least 15 minutes while you make the cheese sauce. Leave the oven on.
Melt the butter in a saucepan over a medium heat and cook until the butter turns slightly brown. This will give it a nuttier flavour but do not let it burn.
Beat the flour into the butter until smooth. Gradually pour in the milk, whisking well between each additions, to create a thick, smooth sauce. Add the Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon paprika and cheese to the sauce and stir constantly until the cheese has completely melted.
Place the cauliflower florets and leaves in a deep baking dish and pour over the sauce. Bake for 30 minutes until bubbling and lightly browned.
