Leek & Cauliflower Cheese

Serves 5–6

INGREDIENTS

Breadcrumbs
4–5 slices of ciabatta or sourdough
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
sea salt
cracked pepper

½ medium cauliflower
2 medium leeks
2 tablespoons olive oil
¼ teaspoon table salt
¼ teaspoon cracked pepper

Cheese Sauce
75 grams (2½ ounces) salted butter
½ cup plain flour
1 litre (35 fluid ounces) whole milk
2 dried bay leaves
1 tablespoon cracked pepper
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 ½ cups grated cheddar cheese, loosely packed
1½ cups grated Edam cheese, loosely packed
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 large pinch table salt
½ teaspoon cracked pepper

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 170°C (325°F) fan bake.

To make the breadcrumbs, remove the crusts from the bread and discard. Tear the bread into small chunks and place in a food processor. Blitz into rough crumbs. Pour into a small bowl and stir through the oil and parsley. (If you add the parsley to the food processor you could end up with green breadcrumbs!) Season with a little salt and pepper.

Cut the cauliflower into large florets then place in a large roasting dish.
Slice the green tops and base off the leeks then cut through the centre lengthways. Wash the leeks then cut them into 4-centimetre (1½-inch) chunks and add to the roasting dish.

Drizzle over the oil and season with salt and pepper. Cover the vegetables with a lid or tinfoil and place in the oven for 20 minutes. Remove the cover and roast for a further 10 minutes until the vegetables are just beginning to colour. Remove the dish from the oven and set aside.

While the vegetables are cooking, make the cheese sauce. In a large saucepan, melt the butter over a low-medium heat. Add the flour and stir with a wooden spoon to incorporate. Fry for 2 minutes, stirring regularly, then pour in quarter of the milk. As the sauce becomes thinner, you can switch to using a whisk. Whisk until smooth then add another quarter, whisk again and add the remaining milk. Add the bay leaves and pepper and cook for 10–15 minutes or until thickened, stirring often.

If you’re worried about accidentally eating the bay leaves, you can remove them now. I like to leave them in to intensify the flavour. Just give your eaters a warning they’re in there!

Once the sauce is thick, add the mustard, grated cheese and parsley and stir through. Season with salt and pepper then pour the sauce over the roasted vegetables. Give the dish a little shake to spread the sauce around the vegetables.

Scatter the breadcrumbs over the dish and bake for 35 minutes or until golden and bubbling.