Oven-roasted cauliflower, leeks and blue cheese

Tamara West

Cauliflower and cheese, the perfect combination of ingredients. For me, cooking is about creating great combinations and flavours and I am a huge blue cheese fan - it has a delicious salty sweet bite that works superbly with the cauli and the leeks. This dish must come straight from the oven to the table. Have the toppings ready, right next to the oven to sprinkle on and serve straight away.

Ingredients

3 Tbsp	Olive oil
2	Shallots, sliced
1 tsp	Fresh garlic, minced
2 cups	Leeks, sliced into 2cm chunks (Main)
2 tsp	Fresh thyme
3 cups	Cauliflower (Main)
3 Tbsp	White wine
1 tsp	Flaky Marlborough sea salt
½ cup	Breadcrumbs, fresh
1 sprinkle	White pepper, freshly ground to season
1 Tbsp	Butter
2 Tbsp	Parsley, chopped
¼ cup	Blue cheese, crumbled

Directions

1. Heat oven to 180C.
2. Heat olive oil in a large frying pan, add shallots and cook for 5 minutes, add leeks and continue cooking for 10 minutes until leeks begin to soften. Add garlic and thyme.
3. Place in a small roasting dish, arrange cauliflower on top, pour over wine then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover with foil and roast in the oven for 30 minutes.
4. While the cauliflower is roasting, tip fresh breadcrumbs into a frying pan, turn heat up to high and without any butter or oil, dry-fry the crumbs until they begin to turn golden and crisp up. To finish, add a pinch of salt and stir in butter to the hot pan.
5. Once the cauliflower is cooked (test by piercing with a small sharp knife, it should be tender and hot), sprinkle over the parsley, crumbled blue cheese and toasted breadcrumbs.