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Crispy Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Cheese
Crispy roasted whole cauliflower with cheese sauce. Topped with toasted walnuts and a panko breadcrumb parmesan crisp then drizzled in a cheese sauce, this is soft and tender inside. Serve as a side with roast chicken or turkey or on its own as a vegetarian main dish.
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
1 hr
Total Time
1 hr 20 mins
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 122 kcal
Course:
Side Dish
Cuisine:
French
Ingredients
- 1 large cauliflower
- 3 tablespoon olive oil extra virgin
- ½ teaspoon salt fleur de sel, Maldon flakes or Celtic sea salt
- 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika (or piment d'Espelette)
- 30 g (2 tbsp) walnuts broken
- 1 tablespoon Fresh chives or parsley finely chopped
Crispy Parmesan Cheese Crust
- 50 g (1.25oz/ ¼ cup) butter salted
- 50 g (1.25oz/ ½ cup) breadcrumbs Ideally Panko
- 50 g (1.25oz/ ½ cup) fresh parmesan cheese finely grated
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon fresh herbs such as thyme optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/400°F/Gas 6.
- Wash the cauliflower and turn it upside down. Cut off its outer leaves and a little of the inner core to make it easy to stand. Keep some of the smaller leaves, as these are edible. Place upright in a non-stick roasting dish.
- Mix together in a small bowl the olive oil, salt, pepper, smoked paprika and caraway seeds. Brush the mix over the whole cauliflower, cover with foil and roast for 30 minutes. Meanwhile prepare the cheese topping.
- Remove the foil and roast for a further 20 minutes. Check that the cauliflower is tender by inserting a knife. If yours is extra big, then it may need just a few more minutes.
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Crispy Parmesan Cheese Crust
- Melt the butter in a saucepan then stir in the panko breadcrumbs, grated parmesan, pepper (and herbs if using) until combined. Spread on to a flat baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Top with another sheet of parchment and flatten with a rolling pin. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes (or freezer) until the cauliflower is tender.
- Cover the cauliflower's head with the cheese topping. It doesn't matter if it breaks: just place it as much as possible over the head, even overlapping. Sprinkle with the walnuts and return to the hot oven for 10-15 minutes or until the topping is golden and clung to the veg.Sprinkle over the finely chopped herbs and serve immediately at the table.
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Notes
- Serve with parmesan cheese sauce or a classic French béchamel sauce with cheese (sauce Mornay).