Prep Time 10 minutes - Total Time 35 minutes - Serves 4
If you don’t like cauliflower this is your gateway into loving it. Basically, if there is anything you do not like pour cheese sauce on it and you will be converted.
Cauliflower cheese on its own is amazing but with the chestnut and chorizo crumb, it just takes it to another level that you need to experience.
Ingredients
1 large cauliflower, broken up into florets.
50 g unsalted butter.
50 g plain flour.
1 white onion, finely diced.
1 leek, roughly chopped.
1 tbsp of fresh thyme leaves.
500 ml full-fat milk.
200 g red Leicester, grated.
1 tbsp of Worcestershire sauce.
70 g of chorizo sausage, take out of the skin and roughly chop.
70 g of cooked whole chestnuts.
1 handful of Panko breadcrumbs.
Method
In a large a saucepan add the onions, leeks, butter, thyme leaves, a pinch of salt and slowly fry for around 10 minutes over low heat, or till the onions and leeks are nice and soft.
Add the flour and mix to combine with the onions and cook for a couple of minutes.
Turn up the heat slightly and start to gradually add the milk a little at a time whisking to prevent any lumps. Once it starts to thicken up add more milk and continue whisking. Repeat this till you’ve used up all the milk, around 20 minutes.
Once the basic sauce is ready you can now add the Worcestershire sauce and whatever cheese you like. Just add a little at a time making sure the cheese has melted before adding any more and be sure to reserve some to sprinkle on top. Check for seasoning and adjust accordingly.
Cook the cauliflower in salted boiling water for 5 minutes, drain, add to the cheese sauce and mix. Pour into an ovenproof dish and sprinkle with the leftover cheese. Now pop into a pre-heated oven at 200℃ for around 20 minutes or till nice bubbly and golden.
To make the crumb simply fry the chorizo in a little oil until it just starts to turn crispy, it’s only going to take a minute or so. Then at this point get the chestnuts and using your hands break them up into the chorizo, then add panko. It will only take a minute or so to crispin up. When the cauliflower comes out of the oven sprinkle the crumb on top.
Take to the centre of the table and let everybody took in.