Cauliflower and Broccoli Cheese

Mr VST is training for the Exmoor Beast and went out for a training ride on Monday evening after work. I thought that he'd appreciate something tasty and filling for dinner and so I went for this slightly Wintery baked potato with cauliflower and broccoli cheese. It was good!

Spinach and Sweetcorn Pancakes with Cheese Sauce

My cheese sauce for the Cauliflower and Broccoli Cheese on Monday was made with Oat milk. Mr VST made a disparaging comment about the appearance of the sauce although nothing bad about the taste. Anyway this was enough for me to pick up some goat's milk on the way home to make the cheese sauce for the pancakes. I also used it for the pancakes although I think I'll be using good old cow's milk for pancake day next week. I served my lovely pancakes covered in cheese sauce with jacket potatoes.

Spinach and sweetcorn pancakes with cheese sauce

We are home this weekend so I have had the luxury of spending as much time as I like in the kitchen. Having embarked on a mission to remind myself how to be healthy I did some Wii yoga this morning followed by a 30 minute run which meant that I had enough calories left to enjoy this classic 80s recipe. It's one my Mum used to make us as kids so that we would eat something green!

It's not very complicated but takes a bit of time as you have to make cheese sauce, pancakes and the filling almost all at once.

You make the pancakes and cheese sauce and wilt the spinach with garlic cloves and sweetcorn and then fill each of the pancakes with some of the spinach mixture, roll them all up and cover them with the cheese sauce. I serve mine with a baked potato. It makes great, filling, Winter comfort food.

Cheese sauce recipe

In my first post I said that cauliflower cheese is easy to make once you've got the hang of making cheese sauce. That can take a while!

The recipe I use is as follows:

Ingredients

2oz/100g butter
2oz/100g plain flour
1 pint/600ml milk (of your choice. I have successfully made this with cow's, goat's, soya and oat)
10oz/280g cheddar cheese (depending on the strength of your cheddar you may need less)

1. Put the butter in a saucepan on a low to medium heat to melt.
2. While the butter is melting grate or cut your cheese up into small cubes.
3. Sift the flour into the saucepan with the melted butter and stir in well.
4. Add painfully small amount of milk (about 2 tablespoons) at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition. Doing this should ensure a smooth sauce.
5. After about 6 painfully small additions of milk add the rest a little at a time, again stirring thoroughly after each addition. If lumps appear start using a whisk!
6. Once all the milk has been added turn the heat up and stir continually while the sauce thickens, this should take around five to ten minutes.
7. Bring the sauce up to the boil, stirring all the while.
8. Once it has reached boiling point, turn the heat back down and add the grated/cubes of cheese a little at a time and stir in until melted.

Cauliflower and broccoli cheese and jacket potato

As good a day as any to start this blog. I'm planning on blogging what I eat every day for a year. Some posts will be briefer than others. I will put recipes up when I get the chance but if you want one specifically then please ask and I will try and oblige.

A classic dish for an Autumnal day but with a slight twist. The cheese sauce was made with oat milk. I try and limit the amount of dairy I have as it causes me sinus problems. It was made with extra mature cheddar which gives a stronger flavour but you don't need to use as much. Also added a bit of broccoli to jazz it up!

Taste: delicious! That extra mature cheddar is something special mmm

Cooking difficulty: easy once you've mastered the cheese sauce

Calories: about 650




- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone