Cauliflower cheese

No idea I’m afraid.
We have this quite a lot - it’s a favourite of dh - often with jacket potatoes.
I simmer the cauliflower for exactly 3 minutes after it comes to the boil - can’t do with soggy cauliflower. Then drain and let it steam dry for a minute or two before adding the sauce, which I always make from scratch with lots of extra mature Cheddar, S&P and a good dollop of English mustard.

I do same as Witzend but always put it in the oven.

In Norfolk we eat it with vinegar and black pepper and bread and butter. My favourite.

I make my cauliflower cheese by starting with a thick white sauce made with flour and butter rather than a panada (bread) type.

Have you used a "too fresh" bread?
Or did you mean padano type cheese?
I haven't noticed anything odd with my cauliflower cheese recently.

Sorry. Not much use here!

I also bake mine - and use mustard.

But I spread my cauliflower out to cool before adding the sauce.
My dad used to rinse quickly in cold water.

I don't cook it for long make the sauce with mustard added. I top the cauli with the sauce add panko crumbs and parmesan cheese finish off in the oven.

Oh now you've made me want this..
Cauliflower on shopping list tomorrow ( I like mine baked btw)

Cheats way.. Frozen M&S handy!

Was just going to say that I cheat. Sainsbury's frozen with grated nutmeg and extra cheese. And it's gf.

I use a Hairy Bikers' recipe. They add cayenne pepper for a bit of a spicey taste.
Only cook your cauliflower for 3 - 4 minutes for firmess before baking.

I always steam the cauliflower and broccoli (I don’t like cauliflower on its own) together. I make an all in one white sauce, sometimes adding a dash of cream. I add English mustard, seasoning and grated cheese and pile it all into an ovenproof dish. Top with brown breadcrumbs and grated cheese and bake for half an hour at 180 C.

I cook the cauliflower in the microwave with just a spoon of water. This means it doesn't leek water and thin the sauce.

Haven't noticed that problem. Just that cauliflowers are expensive these days. Usually make it do for 3 meals for the 2 of us.

kittylester

Was just going to say that I cheat. Sainsbury's frozen with grated nutmeg and extra cheese. And it's gf.

I’m being an even bigger cheat as we speak! Cauliflower boiled then air dried, topped with Waitrose Essential cheese sauce and ready grated cheddar browned under the grill!

Now that's odd Stansgran - exactly the same for me last night. Lightly cooked cauliflower with plenty of resistance to knife, my usual cheese sauce, made just like yours and I usually add a good shake of garlic granules for extra flavour. Plenty of cheese on top, baked as usual alongside a tray of streaky bacon rashers (which I arrange in a "cheffy" pattern on top - yes I know, but DH likes it!) and the whole thing sprinkled with fresh chives.

Came to dish up - incredibly watery sauce, although it did taste okay.

I cook my cauliflower fresh or frozen for 5 mins on high heat and leave to drain until cold. Make white sauce the all in one method and always use mature cheddar. I don't use spread in mine as enough fat in the cheddar . I put cold milk 200ml in a pain and 30g of plain flour and crumb in the 50g cheese put on the heat and using a whisk bring to the boil stirring all the time until thick and smooth. If too thick add bit more milk . Pour it over cauli let it go cold and bake in oven 200° for 30-40 mins . I never add salt but usually black pepper.

Thank you ,especially gulligran. I do add English mustard and oven bake. It tasted fine but watery sauce. I usually have a lattice pattern of pancetta but I didn’t have any in. Unusually for me I weighed and measured too. I might go back to throwing everything in randomly.

horrible dish. tried an m&s ready meal of this ,

Redhead56

I don't cook it for long make the sauce with mustard added. I top the cauli with the sauce add panko crumbs and parmesan cheese finish off in the oven.

that sounds yummy..

I think there is something going on with cheese. It seems to split much more easily and it isn't melting as well? I can't be the only one that has noticed this

I think it must be the types of cauliflower - I switched to Marks and Spencer and that was so much better

lemsip

horrible dish. tried an m&s ready meal of this ,

the ready made ones are not a patch on home made

Home made is certainly best, but sometimes there are reasons why people buy ready meals. Or cheat a bit with the ingredients.
Mum always cooked it in the oven, but I don't always bother.
It's funny though, I did cheese on toast this week and the cheese didn't seem to melt easily and go brown on top like it used to. A great cheese mystery...

I’ve always found cheese on toast a bit too rich - any tips?

but the colemans/ready packet cheese sauces are rank too