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Delia Smith Cauliflower Cheese Recipe

Delia Smith Cauliflower Cheese Recipe

Delia Smith’s cauliflower cheese has a thick, silky mustard cheese sauce and a golden crust, with the trick that stops it going watery.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 6 People
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: British
Calories: 290
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • Cauliflower:
  • 1 large cauliflower about 800g of florets, cut into florets
  • Cheese Sauce:
  • 40 g unsalted butter
  • 40 g plain flour
  • 500 ml whole milk warmed
  • 1 tsp English mustard
  • 150 g mature cheddar grated
  • A pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • Topping:
  • 25 g mature cheddar grated
  • 2 tbsp fresh breadcrumbs
  • 2 tbsp grated Parmesan

Method
 

  1. Boil the florets for 5–6 minutes until just tender. Drain and steam dry for 5 minutes.
  2. Preheat oven to 200°C (180°C fan / Gas 6). Put the florets in a dish.
  3. Make a roux with the butter and flour.
  4. Gradually whisk in the warm milk, then simmer for 2 minutes.
  5. Off the heat, stir in the mustard, nutmeg and cheddar. Season.
  6. Pour the sauce over the cauliflower.
  7. Scatter with the cheddar, breadcrumb and Parmesan topping.
  8. Bake for 25–30 minutes until golden and bubbling. Rest for 5 minutes.

Notes

Cook the cauliflower until just tender, then steam it dry to avoid a watery sauce.
Stir the cheese in off the heat for a smooth sauce.
Make the sauce quite thick, as it loosens in the oven.
Mustard sharpens the cheese flavour without tasting of mustard.
Freezes reasonably well for up to 2 months.