Curry and Mustard Cauliflower Cheese with Celeriac

This rather different cauliflower cheese is my version of an Ottolenghi recipe. It' full of flavour: cheesy, creamy, spicy, crunchy - what else can I say? You don't even have to make the usual white sauce, which always seems such a bother somehow. You really must try this and I'll bet you'll never go back to conventional cauliflower cheese.

Ingredients

1 large cauliflower, divided into florets

One quarter of a celeriac, peeled and cut into large chunks

1 onion, diced

1 tsp. ground cumin

1.5 tsps. curry powder

1 tsp. mustard powder

1 tsp. chilli flakes

1 tsp. black mustard seeds

200 ml double cream

120g mature cheddar cheese, grated

2 handfuls panko crumbs

1 handful parsley, chopped

salt and pepper

Oven 200c, 180 fan

Method

Boil or steam the cauliflower florets and celeriac chunks until softening, about 6 minutes, then set aside.

Melt the butter in a large saucepan and saute the onion until soft. Add the cumin, curry powder, mustard powder and chilli flakes, and stir as they cook together for a couple of minutes, then add the mustard seeds and continue to cook for another minute or so.

Stir in the cream, add 100g of the grated cheddar, season - it may need more salt than you expect - and simmer together for two to three minutes until slightly thickened

Tip in the cauliflower and celeriac and gently turn them over in the creamy sauce so that they become coated in it. Transfer to a gratin dish.

Mix together the remaining cheddar, the panko crumbs and the chopped parsley and sprinkle over the top of the saucy cauliflower and celeriac

Transfer to the hot oven for approximately 20 minutes or until bubbling with a crisp golden top.

Helpful Hints

Click for more quick and easy veg recipes