Hairy Bikers Cauliflower Cheese With Bacon Recipes

CLASSIC CAULIFLOWER CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 3.
• Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil. Add the cauliflower and cook for 4 minutes, or until tender. Drain and put in a large ovenproof dish.
• Pour the milk into a saucepan and add the bay leaves, mace and peppercorns. Bring almost to the boil, then remove from the heat and set aside.
• In a separate saucepan, melt the butter. Stir in the flour, mustard powder and cayenne pepper. Beat until smooth, then cook for a further 1-2 minutes, stirring all the time. Strain the milk into a jug and gradually add it to the pan, beating in each addition until smooth before adding more milk. As the mixture loosens you can add the milk in larger quantities, stirring constantly until it is all incorporated. Add 75g/2½oz cheese and stir until melted. Season with salt and pepper.
• Pour the sauce over the cauliflower and sprinkle with the reserved cheese. Bake for around 30 minutes, or until the top is golden-brown and bubbling.

CAULIFLOWER CHEESE WITH BACON

Steps:

• Add your vegetable oil and bacon to a large frying pack and cook on a low heat for 5 minutes until lightly browned. Remove bacon pieces with a slotted spoon and set aside on a plate until later on. Leaving the bacon grease in the pan.
• Add the shallots, garlic, and cauliflower slices to skillet, cooking until tender, cook on a medium heat for about 5 minutes ensuring they don't stick to the bottom of pan.
• Pour in chicken stock and add the butter, 3/4 of parsley and re-add your bacon, reducing the heat to low. Cover your pan and allow to steam for 10 to 15 minutes until the cauliflower as soaked up the stock. At this point put your oven on to 180 degrees.
• Remove cover and add gently stir 3/4 of the cheese, replace cover and allow to cheese to melt for a couple of minutes. Place all the ingredients in a pirex dish and sprinkle over your remaining cheese, place in hot oven for 5 minutes allowing all the cheese to go stringy and gooey, remove from oven and sprinkle with remaining parsley. I always keep it in the dish and put it in the middle of the table and allow my guests to help themselves. Always a winner.

CHEESY CAULIFLOWER & BACON GRATIN

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Heat the oil in a pan and fry the bacon for 5 mins until just starting to crisp. Add the onion and sizzle for 12 mins until soft and golden.
• Meanwhile, tip the potatoes into a large pan of water, making sure they are well covered. Bring to a gentle boil, then add the cauliflower and cook everything for 6-7 mins until both are tender. Tip into a colander and drain thoroughly.
• In a gratin dish, layer the potato and cauliflower, then scatter with bacon, onion and a small handful of cheese. Drizzle each layer with a little cream and season. Continue until all the layers are finished, pour over the remaining cream and scatter with the last of the cheese. Bake for 30 mins until bubbling. Remove from the oven and set aside for 1 min to rest. Serve straight from the dish with a crisp green salad.

BAKED CAULIFLOWER & CHEESE WITH BACON

Steps:

• Pre-heat oven to 180.C.
• Grease a 6 cup baking dish.
• Cook Cauliflower in boiling salted water for 5 mins or until just tender, drain well & arrange in baking dish.
• Heat butter in a saucepan over medium heat and cook onion and half the bacon for 4 mins or until softened. Remove pan from heat, add flour and stir with a wooden spoon until combined. Return to heat & cook gently for 2 minutes.
• Gradually add milk, stirring continuously and bring to a boil. Add mustard, nutmeg, 1 cup cheese and season with salt & pepper. Stir until cheese has melted.
• Pour sauce over cauliflower & sprinkle with breadcrumbs and remaining cheese. Bake for 15 mins or until golden.