Classic comfort food, quintessentially British needn't be relegated to Sunday lunch
Updated: 2013-11-08 08:21
By Maggie Beale(HK Edition)
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Certain vegetables are seen as traditional to serve along with roast meats such as pork or beef, to accompany the main course, for lunch or dinner, especially for a family get-together Sunday lunch. And while vegetables are a welcome addition to the dinner table they can also form the heart of the meal itself.
One staple vegetable is the handsome cauliflower, one of several vegetables in the Brassicaceae family (also known as Cruciferae) that includes mustard, cabbages, broccoli, turnips, and cresses etc. The cauliflower is an annual plant that reproduces by seed, and only the head is eaten. It is served in many guises: as a soup with a few potatoes added, as the lusciously creamy base for an anchovy 'n cheese sauce over pasta or with nothing more than the addition of a little cheese to become the classic 'cauliflower cheese'.
To make a baked Cauli/cheese: Preheat the oven to 200C (400F). Rinse and cut 1 large cauliflower cut into florets. Place the florets into an ovenproof dish, sprinkle with 1 or 2 Tbsp light oil, season with a pinch of salt and a grating of white pepper. Roast for 18 to 20 minutes, until they are starting to brown.
In the meantime, make a sauce by melting 20 gms (oz) unsalted butter in a saucepan, add in 20 gms (oz) plain flour and cook for 1 or 2 minutes until it turns to a light golden color. Gradually stir in 250 ml (9fl oz) milk, mixing until smooth and cook on a low heat for 3-4 minutes, keep stirring as it thickens, to prevent sticking or burning. Grate nutmeg (to taste) over the sauce; if, like me, you like a strong scent of nutmeg then use it generously. Turn the heat down to very low and stir in tspn made English mustard or 2 tspn Dijon mustard, and 55 gms (2 ozs) of medium mild Cheddar or, if you prefer a more sharp and tangy flavor add extra mature Scottish, English or New Zealand cheddar cheese. Allow to blend well.
Pour the sauce over the roasted cauliflower and gently turn over and over to coat well. For a stronger cheese taste add a sprinkling of grated Parmesan cheese and return to the oven 5-8 minutes, until it bubbles on top and begins to brown. Remove at once as it can burn quickly, and serve with bread and butter and a cup of tea for a reviving afternoon repast.
If you're on your own and find a large cauliflower is too much then prepare a soup for next day. Heat 1 tspn butter in a large saucepan, as it melts, add in 1 finely chopped onion and cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring all the while. Add the leftover part of the cauliflower (from yesterday) cut into florets, 1 potato sliced finely, 6 fl ozs (12 Tbsp) stock (or water and a veggie cube), 2 fl ozs (4 Tbsp) milk and season to taste. Bring to the boil, and then reduce the heat and leave to simmer for about 20 minutes until the cauliflower is soft and the potato almost collapsing. Season to taste with salt and white pepper. Pass through a blender or crush with a potato masher - keep a small amount of warm milk at hand in case the soup has thickened too much.
This soup can be chilled and kept in the fridge for 1 or 2 days or frozen immediately for up to 4 weeks. Don't forget to firmly fix a label to the container with the expiry date clearly showing. It also helps to attach to the outside of the freezer or in another prominent place - a list of things in the freezer with their expiry dates showing. Just score them off or erase them as they are used.
For a variation if you're feeling adventurous, and to use up some of a too-large cauliflower, make a delicious supper dish.
First, for the dressing, blend together: 1-2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice, 1 Tbsp tahini, 1 large clove of garlic, tspn fine sea salt, 1 Tbsp olive oil. Set aside to develop the flavors as you prepare the vegetables.
Preheat the oven to 200C (400F) moderately hot. Combine 1 or 2 cups cauliflower florets cut small, cup cooked brown lentils, 1 x 15 oz can of well drained and rinsed chick peas (garbanzos). Mix and spread on a baking sheet, and drizzle over 1 Tbsp olive oil, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 15 minutes, remove and mix them around, return to the oven for a further 5-6 minutes. Remove and sprinkle with 1 tspn paprika, add a little more oil if necessary, return to the oven with the heat switched off for 2-3 minutes. Don't add the paprika earlier as it can burn and will become bitter if it does.
Combine well with the dressing and serve with wheaten crackers or water biscuits. An un-oaked Chardonnay, an unsweetened sparkling cider, plain apple juice or a light green tea go well with this dish.
(HK Edition 11/08/2013 page7)