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Cauliflower cheese.

(107 Posts)
TriciaF Mon 06-Feb-17 17:38:20

I wonder if there's a shortage of these too in the UK?
For some reason they're subject to big price fluctuations here (France). Maybe they're imported.
I bought one today for 2.39€, about £1.50. I'm going to make cauliflower cheese tomorrow. What's your recipe?

Funnygran Wed 08-Feb-17 10:20:05

I love this dish and tend to use less cheese and more mustard in the sauce to lessen the fat content. I am happy to eat it with nice crusty bread. They are quite expensive but as the main ingredient for a meal I suppose it's not bad. We have a son living at home at present who likes his meat so I have started to add some chopped cooked bacon too which I have to admit adds to it.

Anya Wed 08-Feb-17 10:19:26

Always use a spoonful of Dijon mustard in the sauce. There's a lovely big veg shop near us, the kind you rarely see these days with tiers of boxes filled with all kinds of fruit, vegetables, and flowers beautifully displayed outside and in.

Their big cauliflowers were 69p.

doormouse Wed 08-Feb-17 10:08:51

My recipe for cauliflower cheese includes a quarter teaspoon of cayenne and a quarter teaspoon of dry mustard powder in the sauce, and 4 roughly-chopped hard-boiled eggs in amongst the cauliflower. it's popular in the family.

caocao Wed 08-Feb-17 10:07:26

I top with breadcrumbs and grated cheese like Radicalnan - it gives a lovely crunchy topping. If I have any spring onions I also mix in some of those finely sliced.

hildajenniJ Wed 08-Feb-17 10:06:15

We're having cauliflower cheese for today's lunch. I make a traditional bechamel sauce and add a teaspoon of ready made mustard, I use only cheddar cheese, anything else seems wrong. I boil the cauliflower whole, leaving some of the leaves on. Put the cooked cauliflower in a dish and pour over the sauce. Then I sprinkle over some reserved cheese and flash it under the grill. Delicious.

Fran0251 Wed 08-Feb-17 10:05:57

Cauliflower is out of season at the moment, hence the price and availability situation. Late summer they all come in from France and us and elsewhere. But Sainsnburys had lots.

Kim19 Wed 08-Feb-17 10:04:43

Wow! Will definitely be a variation on a theme for days (weeks even) to come. Thank you ladies! You're ('we' sometimes but not in the culinary field for me) such an innovative bunch. By the way, I'm trying to ease down on the food consumption so this DOESN'T really help. So.......thanks???????

radicalnan Wed 08-Feb-17 09:57:36

I use a pot of Boursin, stir it through my cooked caulie and put mix of grated cheese and breadcrumbs on...........lush

Stansgran Tue 07-Feb-17 20:47:52

I do a cauliflower cheese gougère. Very substantial but oh so good.

MawBroon Tue 07-Feb-17 20:04:58

I cook the cauli floretsvin the milk that I am going to use in the cheese sauce. I also try to keep some of the green outer leaves, barely blanched to put in withnthe florets and the cheesecauce. A teaspoon of French mustard and a good strong West Country Cheddar in the sauce mmmmm!

cwasin Tue 07-Feb-17 19:14:59

I LOVE cauliflower cheese for lunch with green beans and a fresh tomato. I do it the seriously lazy way but it's soooo delicious. Plain boiled cauli, bisto white sauce (not the parsley, that's not so nice) made with the cauli water and lots of grated cheese on top. Best of all is a mix of strong white cheddar, crumbly Cheshire and a little Red Leicester for colour. A grinding of black pepper on top and oven bake until the cheese bubbles. Oh my, how can I wait until tomorrow lunchtime!

Bellanonna Tue 07-Feb-17 17:17:37

Pittcity I love the sound of your recipe and will definitely try your way next time. Nothing to do with it sounding easy, of course ?

shysal Tue 07-Feb-17 16:27:25

I always use a red cheddar as it gives a lovely rich colour.

There was no shortage of any veg in Asda this morning, and the caulis were enormous!

Alima Tue 07-Feb-17 16:00:18

Usually bung in a pinch of dried chilliest to give it a kick. Half and half cauli and broccoli too. This is giving me the urge to make one!

Teetime Tue 07-Feb-17 15:48:35

We have been getting some lovely cauliflowers here. I just make a classic roux and add a very strong cheddar, a little English mustard and lots of black pepper.

TriciaF Tue 07-Feb-17 15:40:57

I made it today, like Lam64, but finished it off in a hot oven for about 15 mins.
It was delicious
We had it with plain boiled pink potatoes and baked salmon - the veg was quite sweet. And there's enough left for tomorrow.

TriciaF Mon 06-Feb-17 20:41:17

My mouth is watering!

Pittcity Mon 06-Feb-17 20:29:41

I make my cheese sauce by mixing cheese into half fat creme fraiche while gently heating. Can be thinned with milk if necessary. I add pepper and mustard to taste too.

grannypiper Mon 06-Feb-17 19:45:42

Add a teaspoon of horseradish to the sauce, it gives a bit of a kick.

Menopaws Mon 06-Feb-17 19:40:17

My husband always laughed that I considered cauliflower cheese a main meal as a kid. I LOVE it and although more as a side dish now I adore it with thick strong cheddar cheese sauce

annodomini Mon 06-Feb-17 19:25:59

When I put the cauliflower cheese under the grill, I sprinkle sesame seeds over it. I love sesame seeds!

Welshwife Mon 06-Feb-17 18:52:07

Sometimes we have 'just' the cauli cheese for tea and then if it was very large cauli and I have some left I use it as a side veg the following day.
I often use Dijon mustard in pork dishes but have never tried it in the cheese sauce - will give that a go next time.

Jalima Mon 06-Feb-17 18:27:23

That is the best way to make it Iam64 but I try to be good and use no butter and semi-skimmed milk because I love it and probably eat it too often.
Best quality cheese though!

It's lovely with gammon too

Iam64 Mon 06-Feb-17 18:24:06

I don't often make cauliflower cheese in case of yet another addiction to a "dangerous" food.
I use best quality ingredients I can find. Cook the Cauli in florets, briefly. Melt butter in pan, make excellent white sauce with plain flour and full cream milk (ok, I use skimmed but full cream delicious) add lots of best quality cheese. None of that fat reduced stuff - add some powder mustard or if you prefer, as I do, dijon. Pour sauce over cauli, add even more shocking full fat cheese, pop dish under grill.

In my youth, I'd fry bacon to go with the cauli cheese. My concession to being good with this dish, is I leave out the bacon.

Nelliemoser Mon 06-Feb-17 18:15:45

I love cauliflower cheese. Comfort food.