Claire Thomson is a chef and food writer. Discover more seasonal recipe ideas at 5oclockapron.com
A taste of November
Cauliflowers are in season, meaning they are not only cheap but extra tasty, too. Frying the cauliflower off first, rather than boiling it, ramps up the flavour and makes this recipe a bit of a game-changer for this iconic dish. Add pickled walnuts; as condiments go, these pickles pack a punch – sweet and sharp with a dark and inky depth.
November can be a bleak, cold month, and this is exactly the sort of meal you will want to tuck into. Some baked potatoes alongside would be no bad thing.
INGREDIENTS
• 1 large cauliflower
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 30g butter
• 45g plain flour
• 350ml full-fat milk
• 120g Cheddar cheese, grated
• ¼–½ tsp nutmeg, freshly grated
• 2 or 3 whole pickled walnuts, sliced
• ½ small bunch of flat-leaf parsley, leaves roughly chopped
METHOD
1. Chop the cauliflower, keeping the florets fairly large, then trim and thinly slice the stalk. Keep any tender pale leaves.
2. Get a large frying pan hot over a moderate heat and add the oil. Fry the cauliflower hard for about eight to 10 minutes, seasoning it with a good pinch of salt and turning often until the florets, leaves and stalks all have a bit of colour, bronzed and even a little charred in places. Remove from the heat and place in a 25cm x 20cm baking dish and pu
