Recipe of the week: Cauliflower & potato gratin
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This delicious potato and cauliflower gratin is comfort food at its finest. Potato and milk are sadly some of the most wasted foods in UK homes, so this dish is perfect to use up any you’ve got.
If you don’t have any cauliflower, this would work well with broccoli, leeks, celeriac, swede or carrots. It really is very adaptable to whatever vegetables you have to use up.
Ingredients
600g cauliflower, cut into small florets, stalks thinly sliced (leaves can be retained to use in a soup)
600g potatoes, skin on and thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, finely grated
70g unsalted butter
70g plain flour
700ml whole milk
2 bay leaves
150g strong cheddar cheese, grated
Fine sea salt
Cracked black pepper
Method
Preheat the oven to 180C. Melt the butter in a large saucepan on a medium heat. Then add the flour and combine with a wooden spoon to make a smooth paste (a roux).
Mix in the garlic, followed by the milk, a bit at a time stirred in to create a smooth sauce. Add in the bay leaves after the first amount of milk goes in.
Season with salt and pepper. Keep on stirring as the sauce thickens, and turn down the heat if it’s bubbling too fiercely. Use a whisk to work out any lumps in the sauce. Lastly, add half of the cheese (75g) and stir in. If it’s over-thickened, try thinning it out with an extra splash of milk.
Place the cauliflower (including the stalk, but not the leaves) and potatoes in a large roasting tray and arrange so that they lie evenly. Cover them with the cheese sauce.
Cover the roasting tray with foil and roast in the oven for 60 minutes. Check if the potatoes are cooked by piercing them with a knife. If they are still firm, leave them to cook under foil for a bit longer (check every five minutes).
Once the potatoes are cooked, remove the foil, scatter over the reminder of the cheese and grill until golden brown.
Remove from the oven and allow to stand for 10-15 minutes, then serve.
- This recipe comes from Zero Waste Scotland. To get tips on how to reduce food waste, visit www.zerowastescotland.org.uk
