Cauliflower cheese is a traditional British dish. It can be eaten as a main course, for lunch or dinner, or as a
side dish.
Cauliflower cheese consists of pieces of
cauliflower
Cauliflower is one of several vegetables in the species ''Brassica oleracea'' in the genus ''Brassica'', which is in the Brassicaceae (or mustard) family. It is an annual plant that reproduces by seed. Typically, only the head is eaten – the ...
lightly boiled and covered with a milk-based
cheese sauce, for which a mature cheese (such as
cheddar) tends to be preferred. A more elaborate
white sauce or
cheddar cheese sauce flavoured with English
mustard and
nutmeg may also be used. The dish is topped with grated cheese (sometimes mixed with bread crumbs) and baked in the oven to finish it.
History
There is a recipe for cauliflower with Parmesan cheese in ''
Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management'', first published in 1861. In the 19th and 20th centuries the dish was often served as an accompaniment to the roast meat and potatoes that were eaten for the traditional
Sunday lunch
A Sunday roast or roast dinner is a traditional meal of British and Irish origin. Although it can be consumed throughout the week, it is traditionally consumed on Sunday. It consists of roasted meat, roasted potatoes and accompaniments s ...
, normally in the winter months.
In the UK, cauliflower cheese is now widely produced as a
vegetarian ready meal, and is also popular as a pre-prepared
baby food.
See also
*
List of cheese dishes
External links
Recipe from A Book of Household Management by Isabella Beeton
{{English cuisine
British cuisine
Cheese dishes
Brassica oleracea dishes
Baked foods