Cauliflower Bake With Hazelnut Crunch Crust

Total Time: 40 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 25 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 3 lbs heads cauliflower, trimmed and separated into florets
• 1/3 cup hazelnuts, finely chopped
• 1 slice of extra crunchy toast, roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups milk, slightly warmed
• 1/4 onion, skin removed
• 1 clove
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 pinch salt and pepper
• 1 pinch nutmeg
• 7 ounces gruyere cheese, grated (can also use comte or parmesan)

Recipe

• 1 to begin with, steam the cauliflower in a colander fitted inside a pan. steam for around 15 minutes so the cauliflower still has some bite left in it.
• 2 for the sauce, melt the butter in a medium sized pan. add the flour and stir hard until a smooth paste is achieved.
• 3 take off the heat and leave for a couple of minutes. slowly add the milk, mixing all the time.
• 4 place it back on the heat and add the clove, bay leaf and leek. simmer for 10 minutes, constantly stirring.
• 5 remove the leek, bay leaf and clove. season with salt and pepper to taste.
• 6 pre heat the oven to 350 degrees.
• 7 stir the cheese into the sauce, saving a bit to sprinkle on top. mix the cauliflower into the sauce and give it a good stir. pour into a baking tin.
• 8 sprinkle on the remaining cheese and top with the crushed hazelnuts and broken up pieces of toast.
• 9 bake for 20 minutes and then place under the broiler for a few minutes to get a golden and bubbling crust.