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Cauliflower cheese crumble

Cauliflower cheese crumble in a baking dish

Cauliflower cheese crumble

Name: Cauliflower cheese crumble
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 25 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 1 cauliflower; 2 tbsp olive oil; 50g salted butter; 4 anchovies; 50g plain flour; 500ml whole milk; 2 tsp Dijon mustard; ¼ tsp cayenne pepper; grating of nutmeg; 100g cheddar grated; 20g parmesan grated; 100g cold salted butter cut into cubes; 100g plain flour; 40g oats; 3 thyme sprigs leaves picked; 20g parmesan grated

Brin Pirathapan

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Serves 6

Easy

Prep: 25 mins

Cook: 1 hr

A star rating of 4.8 out of 5.7 ratingsRate

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Make a special version of cauliflower cheese for the Christmas dinner table. It's rich with umami notes thanks to the anchovies, and has a kick of mustard and cayenne

Freezable

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Ingredients

Nutrition

Units:

MetricUS

1 cauliflower
2 tbsp olive oil
50g salted butter
4 anchovies
50g plain flour
500ml whole milk
2 tsp Dijon mustard
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
grating of nutmeg
100g cheddar

grated
20g parmesan

grated

For the crumble

100g cold salted butter

cut into cubes
100g plain flour
40g oats
3 thyme sprigs

leaves picked
20g parmesan

grated

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Nutrition: Per serving

kcal532
fat37g
saturates21g
carbs32g
sugars7g
fibre3g
protein16g
salt1.47g

Method

step 1

Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Remove and discard any wilted leaves from the cauliflower, then remove the rest of the leaves and set aside. Cut the cauliflower into florets, then chop the stalk into bite-sized pieces. Put the florets and stalk pieces in a large roasting tray, drizzle over the oil and season with salt. Roast for 10 mins, then stir in the reserved leaves and roast for a further 10 mins.
step 2

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over a medium heat and stir in the anchovies until they’ve fully broken down. Add the flour, mix well and cook for 2-3 mins until the consistency resembles wet sand. Gradually whisk in the milk until fully incorporated, then cook for 3-5 mins until the mixture is creamy and thick. Turn off the heat, stir in the mustard, cayenne and a grating of nutmeg. Mix in the cheeses until fully combined.
step 3

When the cauliflower is cooked through, remove from the oven and leave to steam-dry for 20 mins. This is an important step, as it will prevent a watery filling.
step 4

For the crumble, put the butter, flour and oats in a bowl and rub together using your fingertips until the mixture comes together when squeezed in your fist, but breaks down easily. Mix in the thyme and parmesan.
step 5

Tip the cauliflower into a roughly 30 x 20cm roasting tin. Pour over the sauce. Scatter over the crumble, and roast for 40 mins until golden on top and bubbling at the edges. To freeze, assemble the dish fully, then cool, wrap well and freeze for up to three months. Defrost overnight in the fridge before baking.

Recipe from Good Food magazine, Christmas 2025

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A star rating of 4.8 out of 5.7 ratings

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