Cauliflower and Broccoli Cheese Recipe
Warming, cheesy and full of flavour – this gluten free cauliflower cheese recipe never fails to delight.
Homemade cauliflower cheese is quite possibly the food equivalent of a comfort blanket. Our coeliac-friendly recipe includes some sneaky greens in the form of broccoli, but feel free to just use one medium-sized cauliflower if you prefer. Try not to skip the milk infusion stage – it brings a wonderful flavour element to the sauce.
Suitable for: gluten free
Serves: 4 – 6
Ingredients
1 small cauliflower, broken into florets
1 small broccoli, broken into florets
1 small onion, peeled
2 star anise
1 bay leaf
60g / 2 ¼ oz butter
60g / 2 ¼ oz cornflour
700ml milk
2 tbsps crème fraiche (optional)
120g / 4¼ grated cheddar cheese, plus extra for topping
Method
First, stud the peeled onion with the star anise and add to a saucepan with the milk and the bay leaf. Heat gently until simmering and then remove from the heat. Leave to infuse for 15 minutes or so, before discarding the onion and bay leaf.
In the meantime, cook the cauliflower and broccoli. Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and cook the cauliflower florets for 2 minutes, before adding the broccoli. Cook for 3 minutes more until the veg is tender (take care not to overcook and soften the florets too much). Drain well and tip into a 26cm x 18cm oven proof dish.
To make the sauce, melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the cornflour and stir well over a gentle heat. After a minute, remove from the heat and gradually add in the milk, stirring well to avoid lumps. Once all of the milk has been added, return to the heat and simmer gently until the sauce becomes thick and creamy. Make sure to keep stirring so that it doesn’t catch and burn.
Stir in the grated cheese and crème fraiche, if using. Once the cheese has melted and the sauce is smooth, pour over the cauliflower and broccoli, making sure that the florets are evenly covered. Sprinkle a final handful of cheese over the top.
Cook in a preheated oven at 180°C / 350°F / Gas 4 for 25 to 30 minutes, until the cheese on top has melted and turned a lovely golden-brown. Serve immediately.
