Description
A comforting and flavorful cauliflower cheese crumble recipe featuring roasted cauliflower florets in a rich anchovy-infused cheese sauce, topped with a crispy oat and herb crumble, baked to golden perfection.
Ingredients
Scale
Cauliflower and Roasting
- 1 cauliflower
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Salt, to season
Cheese Sauce
- 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
Crumble Topping
- 100g cold salted butter, cut into cubes
- 100g plain flour
- 40g oats
- 3 thyme sprigs, leaves picked
- 20g parmesan, grated
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Cauliflower: 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 and chop the stalk into bite-sized pieces.
- Roast Cauliflower: Place the florets and stalk pieces in a large roasting tray, drizzle with olive oil, season with salt, and roast for 10 minutes. Stir in the reserved leaves and roast for an additional 10 minutes until the cauliflower is cooked through.
- Make Cheese Sauce: While the cauliflower roasts, melt the salted butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the anchovies until fully broken down. Add the flour, stirring well, and cook for 2-3 minutes until the mixture resembles wet sand.
- Incorporate Milk and Seasonings: Gradually whisk in the whole milk until fully combined. Cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring regularly, until the sauce is creamy and thickened. Remove from heat and stir in Dijon mustard, cayenne pepper, a grating of nutmeg, and the grated cheddar and parmesan cheeses until completely blended.
- Steam-Dry Cauliflower: Remove the roasted cauliflower from the oven and leave it to steam-dry in the roasting tray for 20 minutes. This step prevents a watery filling and ensures the sauce adheres well.
- Prepare Crumble Topping: In a bowl, rub together the cold salted butter, plain flour, and oats with your fingertips until the mixture binds when squeezed but breaks apart easily. Mix in the picked thyme leaves and grated parmesan cheese.
- Assemble and Bake: Transfer the cauliflower into a roughly 30 x 20cm roasting tin, pour over the cheese sauce evenly, and scatter the crumble topping across the surface. Roast in the oven for 40 minutes until golden on top and bubbling around the edges.
- Freezing Instructions: To freeze, assemble the dish fully, allow it to cool, then wrap well and store for up to three months. Defrost overnight in the fridge before baking as usual.
Notes
- Steaming the roasted cauliflower for 20 minutes is essential to remove excess moisture and prevent a watery filling.
- This dish can be assembled ahead and frozen; just defrost fully before baking.
- You can omit anchovies for a milder, vegetarian-friendly sauce but it will affect depth of flavor.
- Use good-quality cheddar and parmesan for the richest cheese sauce.
- Ensure the oat crumble topping is well rubbed together to achieve a crisp, golden texture.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: British
Keywords: cauliflower cheese crumble, baked cauliflower cheese, vegetable crumble, cheesy vegetable bake, British vegetarian dish
