Cheesy roasted cauliflower baked potatoes, with Niki Bezzant.
These hearty rib-sticking treats are perfect for a cold day or night. They combine two family favourites: baked potatoes and cauliflower cheese, in a creamy, cheesy delight.
Serves 4
Time to make: 1.5 hours (worth it!)
4 floury potatoes (I used Agria)
1 medium-sized cauliflower
1 cup grated tasty cheese (I used tasty and parmesan)
1 tablespoon oil
Knob butter
¼ cup flour
1 cup milk
Black or white pepper (or a combination)
½ cup breadcrumbs
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
Chilli flakes
Preheat oven to 200C. Wash and scrub potatoes, leaving skin on. Stab them a few times with a knife, and place on a baking tray. Roast until tender – depending on the size of your spuds this will take between 45 minutes and 1 hour.
Cut cauliflower into florets and arrange on a baking tray. Drizzle with oil and season with salt and pepper. Place into the oven with the potatoes, for about 30 minutes, until browned and tender. Remove and set aside.
While veges are cooking, make the cheese sauce. Grate cheese and set aside. Heat oil and butter over a medium heat. Add flour and stir for a few minutes, until flour is brown. Add milk and stir as it thickens (don’t worry, the lumps will smooth out). Cook for 5 minutes, or until the flour is cooked out – you will be able to taste this. Add most of the the cheese – reserving a couple of tablespoons – and stir, until melted, cooking a further 2 minutes. Taste and season with pepper and salt. Add more milk if you need to, to get a smooth creamy consistency.
Add cooked cauliflower to sauce and stir to combine.
Combine breadcrumbs, paprika and remaining cheese.
When the potatoes are cooked, cut a cross into the tops of the spuds and scoop out some flesh from inside each one. Keep this flesh – it’s delicious fried up for breakfast with an egg on top!
Spoon in cauliflower mixture to each potato. Top with crumb mixture. Return to the oven for 5-10 minutes, until browned on top.
Serve with a salad as a meal, or as a hearty side dish.