Cauliflower Cheese

Take one medium sized fresh cauliflower

Cut away the outside leaves and remove the stalk.

You want to have bite size florets for this dish. I also use some of the most inner leaves. Other people discard them.

Thoroughly rinse the cauliflower.

The outer leaves can be used for soups or stocks... mine go to my daughter's rabbit.

Place cauliflower in a pan of boiling water and cook for approx ten minutes. I don't salt the water as the sauce can be salty but it's a personal choice so you can add salt if you wish.

Grate your cheese. Sometimes, if I'm rushing, I thinly slice it. It has the same effect.

Place your butter into a pan and let it melt.

Once the butter has melted, add the flour stirring all the while to prevent any lumps forming.

Let this cook for 2 minutes to allow the flour to burst? Or something scientific like that anyway ;)

When you've added the flour and mixed it into the butter, this is what it should look like.

Now, here's what some people think is the tricky part. Adding the milk. Big tip... remove the pan from the heat when you add the milk. This will prevent any lumps forming... hopefully!

Add the milk a little at a time. Return it to the heat each time to thicken slightly before adding the next amount. Having said that, it works just as well if you add it all at once. Well, most of the time it does!

Meanwhile, strain the cauliflower. I save the stock for the gravy but it could also be used in soups.

Your sauce should now be nicely thickened and slowly beginning to bubble.

Add most of the grated cheese bit by bit stirring well in between. You want this to melt into the sauce. Keep a small amount of cheese back for the topping.

You can also now season the sauce. If you want, you can season before adding the cheese. I only use black pepper as I find the cheese is salty enough so I don't add more salt, but again, it's personal choice.

You can also add mustard or nutmeg at this point if you want to give it a different flavour.

Place the strained cauliflower into an oven proof dish

Pour over the cheese sauce over the cauliflower. Then sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top

Place dish into the centre of a medium hot oven to brown. Some people put the dish under the grill.