Cauliflower Three-Cheese

Cauliflower Three-Cheese

1kg cauliflower florets (2 small heads)
45ml olive oil
60g butter
60ml flour
250ml milk
250ml cream
2,5ml salt
250ml + 125ml grated cheddar cheese
125ml + 125ml grated gruyère cheese
60ml + 60ml grated parmesan cheese

Preheat your oven to 200℃ and line a roasting tin with baking paper.
Spread the cauliflower florets out in the tin, drizzle with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
Roast in the oven for 20 minutes, remove and set aside.
Turn your oven down to 180℃.
Add the butter to a small saucepan set oven medium-high heat and allow it to melt.
Add the flour and stir to cook for 2-3 minutes.
Pour in the milk while whisking for at least one minute. Keep stirring until the sauce has thickened.
Turn off the heat and add the salt.
Add the 250ml cheddar, 125ml gruyère and 60ml parmesan a handful at a time and stir vigorously until melted before adding more cheese. Keep going until all the cheese has been incorporated.
Add the roasted cauliflower to the sauce and stir to coat.
Now pour the mixture into a 28cm x 21cm ceramic dish and scatter over the remaining 125ml cheddar, 125ml gruyère and 60ml parmesan.
Bake the cauliflower cheese in the oven for 30 minutes.
Serve as a side dish to any meat or as a comfort-bowl-of-goodness on its own.

Screenshot
Screenshot

Punchy Tomato Tart

Punchy Tomato Tart

2 sheets frozen pastry
100g cream cheese (I used garlic and herb flavoured), room temperature
350g mixed tomatoes
100g blue cheese
egg-wash: one egg yolk whisked with 15ml water
a handful of basil leaves, chopped

Preheat your oven to 200℃ and line a baking sheet with baking paper.
Place one sheet of pastry on the baking sheet and trim it neatly into a square or rectangle.
Cut 1cm wide strips, the length of the other pastry and place them neatly on the outer borders so that it forms a frame.
Spread the cream cheese on the inside section of the “frame” and spread it out evenly.
Slice the tomato into thick slices and arrange a layer on the cream cheese. Season with salt and pepper.
Break up the blue cheese and arrange pieces of it all over the tomato.
Finally add another layer of tomato and drizzle over some olive oil.
Brush the outside edges of the pastry with the egg wash.
Bake in the oven for 20 minutes, until golden.
Remove the tomato tart from the oven and drizzle with some more olive oil.
Sprinkle the basil over when you are ready to serve.

Honey-Mustard Smashed Potato

Honey-Mustard Smashed Potato

700g – 1kg small potatoes
45ml olive oil
60ml mayonnaise
60ml wholegrain mustard
30ml honey
5ml white wine vinegar

Preheat your oven to 200℃ and spray an oven tray with cooking spray.
Cook the potatoes until just done, but fully cooked.
Add the mayonnaise, wholegrain mustard, honey and white wine vinegar to a small bowl and stir to combine. Set aside.
Smash each potato down with a flat-bottom coffee mug and place them in the oven tray.
Drizzle the olive oil over and season with salt.
Spoon half the honey-mustard dressing on to the potatoes.
Bake in the oven for 25 minutes.
Flip the potatoes over, spoon the rest of the dressing over and bake for another 20 minutes.
Remove from the oven and serve immediately.

Green Bean Fritters

Green Bean Fritters

350g green beans, sliced into 1cm lengths
200g flour
10ml baking powder
5ml curry powder
2,5ml ground turmeric
5ml salt
2,5ml white pepper
2 eggs
half an onion, very finely chopped
90ml water
vegetable oil for frying

Place the prepared green beans in a saucepan oven medium-high heat, add about 500ml water and simmer for 5 minutes. Drain well and set aside to cool.
Add the flour, baking powder, curry powder, turmeric, salt and pepper to a mixing bowl and stir together.
Add the cooled beans and mix again.
Add the eggs, onion and water to a bowl and whisk together.
Pour into the bean mixture and stir to form a batter.
Place a pan on medium-high heat, add enough oil to generously cover the bottom and wait for it to heat up.
Fry spoonfuls of the mixture for 3-4 minutes per side.
Serve the fritters warm.