Cauliflower Cheese

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 200 °C (conventional, top and bottom heat) and grease a baking dish. Divide the cauliflower into florets.
2. Cook the florets in boiling salted water for 5 to 8 minutes, until just tender but not mushy. Drain well and put them in the dish.
3. For the sauce, melt the butter in a saucepan, stir in the flour and cook briefly. Gradually pour in the milk and cream, stirring constantly.
4. Bring the sauce to the boil, stirring, and simmer gently for about 2 minutes until thick. Take the pan off the heat, stir in 100 g of the Cheddar and season with nutmeg, salt and pepper.
5. Pour the sauce over the cauliflower and sprinkle with the remaining cheese and the breadcrumbs.
6. Bake in the oven for about 20 to 25 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling and the top is golden brown.

Drink with it

• White wine · excellent match

  Pinot Blanc (Weissburgunder) or lightly oaked Chardonnay

  The creamy fullness of the wine suits the béchamel, and the acidity cuts through the cheese.

  Which wine pairs with food? A simple approach to choosing ↗

• Pale lager · good match

  Pilsner or Helles, well chilled

  Carbonation and fine bitterness loosen the creamy cheese sauce and keep the cauliflower tasting fresh.

  Pils or Helles: What's the Difference? ↗

• Sparkling wine · good match

  Crémant or Winzersekt (German growers' sparkling wine), brut

  Acidity and bubbles cut through the cheese fat of the crust, and the yeasty tone goes with the butter béchamel.

  Sparkling wine, Champagne, and Prosecco: what's the difference? ↗