CAULIFLOWER MAC AND CHEESE RECIPE RECIPES

Steps:

• 1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4.
  2. Put a large shallow ovenproof casserole pan on a medium heat with the butter.
  3. Trim, halve, wash and slice the leek and add to the pan. Stir regularly while you trim, slice and add the celery, then trim, chop and add the fennel, if using.
  4. Break the cauliflower into florets, then cut into 2cm-thick slices and finely slice the stalk and any nice leaves. Add the stalk and leaves to the pan and cook for 10 minutes, or until soft but not coloured, stirring regularly.
  5. Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pan of boiling salted water for 8 minutes (5 if using macaroni). Reserving a mugful of starchy cooking water, drain the pasta and pour into a 25cm x 35cm baking dish (or divide between smaller ones), along with the cauliflower florets.
  6. Stir the flour into the veg pan for 30 seconds, then gradually pour in the milk, stirring all the time, followed by 500ml of water. Simmer for 5 minutes, then stir in the mustard and season with sea salt and black pepper.
  7. Let the sauce blip away until thickened while you coarsely grate the cheese.
  8. Stir the cheese into the sauce, then blitz until smooth with a hand blender, or in batches in a food processor.
  9. Pour over the pasta and cauliflower florets then, if you need to loosen it, add a little reserved pasta water – the sauce will thicken up as it bakes.
  10. Blitz your stale bread into crumbs in the processor (or smash up in a clean tea towel). Peel and grate the garlic. Pick the herb leaves, if using, and mix it all together with 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
  11. Scatter the crumbs over the pasta, grating over more cheese, if you’ve got it, then bake for 30 minutes, or until golden and bubbling.

Steps:

• Bring water to a boil for pasta. Salt the water and undercook the pasta by 2 minutes, about 5 to 6 minutes.
• While the water comes to a boil, in a covered Dutch oven heat extra-virgin olive oil over medium to medium-high heat. Cut the core away from the cauliflower and set the head into the pot and add 1 cup stock, cover and steam 12 to 15 minutes until tender. Remove and separate the cauliflower into florets. Discard water from pot.
• Over medium heat in the same pot, melt the butter, then add onions and garlic. Saute for 3 to 4 minutes, until tender. Add in the flour and whisk for 1 minute. Whisk in the whole milk and season with salt, pepper, nutmeg, and sage. When thickened, stir in the Dijon mustard and 2/3 of the combined cheeses.
• Drain the pasta, add to the cauliflower, stir in the cheese sauce, transfer to baking dish, top with remaining cheese. Cool completely and cover for a make-ahead meal.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Bake until brown on a baking sheet to catch the bubble-over. The casserole will take 40 to 45 minutes to heat through.
• Garnish bowls of cauli-mac-n-cheese with chopped spicy watercress.