Cauliflower Cheese With Extras

As a kid I loved cauliflower cheese, I then fell out with it. Too much cows milk possibly the reason, I then moved onto goats milk, followed by soya milk and in the last couple of weeks oat milk for sauces. The latter used with gluten free flour is a lot easier to clean off pans and dishes than soya milk was.

We tend to have this on it’s own as a main meal. I add extras to my cauliflower cheese which vary, feel free to add what ever you think would go well.

Ingredients

  • 1 cauliflower cut into florets. Normally a reasonable sized one does for the two of us.
  • 25grams butter or spread of your choice
  • 25grams plain flour
  • enough milk (which ever you fancy) to make a good spoon coating sauce
  • a big handful of grated cheese, I normally use reduced fat cheddar, but sometimes some Red Leicester jumps in there too
  • 0.5 tsp mustard powder
  • black pepper
  • extras. 3 or 4 rashers bacon is standard on Oleanna, occasionally some peas or mushrooms, but always bacon, cut into inch pieces.

Method

  • Heat oven to Gas 6, 180C, 160 Fan
  • Cut the cauliflower up into florets, rinse with water and pop in a steamer.
  • Steam for between 5 to 8 minutes until a knife will go into it with ease. If you don’t have a steamer pop in a pan with water and bring to the boil for a couple of minutes, then turn the heat off, leave until just cooked through. Drain very well if boiling your cauliflower, otherwise you’ll end up with a watery soup under your cauliflower.
  • Meanwhile in a medium sized sauce pan, cook the bacon through. I don’t bother adding any fat as it makes it’s own, just keep it moving it about. Once cooked pop it in the bottom of an oven dish, spread out.
  • In the same pan, add the butter and let it melt. Then the flour and cook it through for a couple of minutes, add the mustard powder at this stage.
  • Gradually add the milk until it reaches a thickish consistency.
  • Season with black pepper, there is enough salt in the bacon so I don’t add any.
  • Add a good handful of grated cheese and stir in to melt.
  • Pop the steamed cauliflower florets on top of the bacon and any other extras you fancied adding. Then pour the cheese sauce over everything, making sure it is evenly covered.
  • A small sprinkling of extra cheese ontop and then pop it in the oven for 20 minutes until the cheese has browned and everything has heated up again.

Enjoy