A creative way to use the core, leaves and all so that not one part of the cauli gets left behind
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his recipe, adapted from one in my cookbook, is a very elaborate way to serve humble cauliflower cheese. The whole plant, including the leaves and core, is seasoned with nutmeg and roasted, and it’s then dressed with a satisfying layer of rich cheese sauce and grilled until charred and bubbling. Choose a cauliflower with plenty of leaves, because they go deliciously crisp when roasted.
This is perhaps the most decadent cauliflower cheese I’ve ever made. Inspired by an orange-coloured cauliflower I found sitting proudly in a box at my local Brockley Market in south London, I decided to make a vibrant and very orange cauliflower cheese using red leicester cheese and turmeric. I didn’t want to ruin the cauliflower’s perfect appearance, or waste its leaves, so I decided to roast it whole for maximum impact. The trick is to make sure you roast the cauliflower for long enough that it is cooked through, soft and tender throughout. You can find a video of the recipe on my Instagram page.
Serves 4-6 with sides
