Cauliflower, bacon and sage gratin

I love roasted cauliflower, especially those crisp edges, which have an almost meaty flavour. This dish is a great alternative to the standard potato gratin — and it’s about a million times better than the steamed cauliflower your grandmother served up.

INGREDIENTS

1 large cauliflower, cut into small florets

125ml milk

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

freshly grated nutmeg, to taste

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 bacon slices, cut into thin strips

12-14 sage leaves

125ml thickened cream

salt, to taste

freshly ground black pepper, to taste

25g parmesan, grated

25g panko or dry breadcrumbs

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 200ºC.

Put the cauliflower, milk, garlic and around 10 shavings of nutmeg in a large saucepan, cover with a lid and bring to a simmer over a medium heat. Simmer for about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and fry the bacon until crisp. Drain on paper towel.

Add the sage leaves and bacon to the cauliflower. Give it a toss and tip everything into a large baking dish. Pour the cream evenly into the dish, season with salt and pepper then sprinkle the parmesan and breadcrumbs over the top.

Bake for 30 minutes, or until the cauliflower is hot and bubbly with a golden, delicious crust on top.

#cauliflower #bacon #sage #gratin #billman