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cauliflower

ROMESCO & CAULIFLOWER CHEESE

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Following on from my post about this glorious vegetable romesco. Here is a funky alternative to plain old cauliflower cheese. My Romesco & Cauliflower Cheese.

Well the weather has taken a turn for the worst today with nought but torrential rain and a cold wind. Not really summer weather so here is a comfort dish to keep you warm and cosy on these abnormal summer days. I must say though the ground does need the rain as it has been so dry for so long now. I love the vibrant green that the romesco brings to the dish and if you are wondering what it tastes like well it’s a cross between broccoli and cauliflower.


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ROMESCO & CAULIFLOWER CHEESE
Author: 
Recipe type: main course
Cuisine: British
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 4 Persons
 
Ingredients
  • 1 romanesco cauliflower
  • 1 cauliflower
  • 2 tbsp butter, at room temperature
  • 2 tbsp plain flour
  • 500ml whole milk
  • A 100g chunk of Cheddar
  • 2 stale slices of bread
  • A pinch of mixed spice or chilli powder
  • 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
  • ½ tbsp olive oil
  • 2 large handfuls of watercress
Instructions
  1. Pull the leaves off both the cauliflowers. Chop them into florets. Pop the cauliflower florets in a steamer basket or colander.
  2. Pour boiling water into a steamer or pan. Pop the basket or colander above the hot water. Cover. Steam for 15-20 mins till the cauliflower is tender. Drain and tip into an ovenproof dish. Heat your oven to 180°C/Fan 160°C/Gas 4.
  3. Mash the butter and flour together with a fork. Pour 500ml milk into a pan. Bring to the boil. Stir the milk now and then to stop it burning. Take off the heat. Slowly whisk in the flour mixture, a little at a time, till it’s all combined and smooth.
  4. Put the pan back on the heat. Bring to the boil. Whisk and simmer for 2 mins till the sauce is thick. Take off the heat.
  5. Coarsely grate the Cheddar. Stir two-thirds of it into the sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Pour over the cauliflowers.
  6. Blitz or grate the stale bread till you have a 25g batch of breadcrumbs. Mix the breadcrumbs with a pinch of mixed spice or cayenne pepper and the remaining cheese. Sprinkle over the top of the cauliflower. Bake for 20 mins till golden and bubbling.
  7. While the cauliflower cheese bakes, whisk the balsamic vinegar with ½ tbsp olive oil and a little salt and pepper.
  8. Rinse the watercress. Pat dry with kitchen paper. Pop into a bowl. Add the balsamic dressing. Toss to mix. Serve the salad with the cauliflower cheese.

 

ROMANESCO

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I love the geometric shapes in romanesco, isn’t nature wonderful at patterns. This is just coming into it’s early season and can be used as an alternative to regular cauliflower as its part of the same family of vegetables.

Romanesco (Brassica oleracea) is part of the cruciferous family. It is often called broccoflower but more closely resembles cauliflower.

A bright yellow-green, Romanesco is incredibly unique and strangely beautiful. The outer appearance is so distinctive that it has led some to joke that it was seeded here by an alien race (that might also explain the egg-laying mammalian platypus).

The Romanesco is a natural cross between cauliflower and broccoli, the two better-known produce items. It has a flavor comparable to cauliflower with a slightly “nutty” undertone. Scientists and nutritionists consider it one of the most easily digestible vegetables available.

Originally cultivated in Italy, this edible flower is tender, making it a perfect addition to recipes in place of broccoli or cauliflower. The slightly different flavor and interesting look can spruce up tired recipes. Cook times should be shortened to avoid overcooking.

Vitamins and minerals are abundant in Romanesco and calories are low, making it a nutrient-dense food that is ideal for the vegan diet.

You’ll find vitamin C, A, and K as well as folate, dietary fiber (though slightly less than broccoli), iron, manganese, carotene, protein, zinc, and omega-3 fatty acids in this pretty vegetable – along with so much more.

 

 

QUICK ROASTED CAULIFLOWER CHEESE

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In the second of my articles on “Everyday & Sunday” I am going to look at that perennial favourite, cauliflower cheese. For some reason since time began there always seems to be a version of cauliflower cheese in every vegetarian based cookbook. I should point out though that Everyday and Sunday is not strictly a veggie cookbook but it does contain mostly vegetarian dishes.


So what did we here at Knobbly Plate like about this recipe. Well first of all it definitely fits in with the affordable bit. The whole dish cost just £6.32 to make and there was easily enough for 4 people. That’s just £1.58 a portion for this classic comfort food. The most expensive ingredient was the gruyere cheese at £2.87 so it’s possible to make the dish even cheaper by substituting that for a mild cheddar which would probably halve the cost of the cheese.

The dish was simple enough to prepare but we found that the roasting part of ths cauliflower took double the amount of time it said on the recipe. Next and this is a personal preference I like my mustard so I doubled the amount to give it a bit more zing.
Taking all this into account it was a passable version of cauliflower cheese. I think however the one big change I would make in future would be to par boil the cauliflower first as we found the roasted version just a tad chewy. I would however say that if you have had a long day at work and can’t really face cooking then this version is definitely quick and easy to get from cupboard to plate.

Save Print
QUICK ROASTED CAULIFLOWER CHEESE
Author: 
Recipe type: Main Course
Cuisine: british
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 4 Persons
 
Ingredients
  • 1 Cauliflower, Cut Into Florets
  • 1 tbs Olive Oil
  • 1 tsp Caster Sugar
  • 250g Creme Fraiche
  • 1 tsp Dijon Mustard
  • 100g Gruyere Cheese
Instructions
  1. Toss the cauliflower in the oil and sugar and roast for 20 mins at gas mark 6
  2. Mix all the other ingredients into a bowl with the grated gruyere.
  3. Toss the roasted cauliflower in the mixture.
  4. Place in an oven proof dish and scatter some grated gruyere over the top and roast in a hot oven until golden and bubbling.