Cauliflower au gratin.

You will need:

Melted butter, to grease

1 tablespoon butter, extra

I cup fresh breadcrumbs

1 tablespoon chopped fresh continental parsley

1 cauliflower, outer leaves removed

Cheese sauce

1 ½ tablespoons butter

2 ½ tablespoons plain flour

2 cups milk

1 cup coarsely grated cheddar. I prefer to use a small block of chive soft cheese.

Salt & ground white pepper

Putting it all together:

Brush the base and side of a 5cm-deep, round, heatproof microwave-safe dish with the melted butter to grease.

1. Place the extra butter in a medium microwave-safe bowl and heat, until melted. Add the breadcrumbs and parsley, and mix well.
2. Cut the cauliflower into medium, even-sized florets. Partly cook these either in the microwave or in hot boiling water.
3. Place all sauce ingredients into a saucepan. Place onto medium heat and stir continuously until it begins to thicken. Lift the saucepan off the heat to ensure the sauce does not catch on the bottom of the saucepan. Remember your sauce will continue to thicken in the saucepan even when it is off the heat. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
4. Preheat oven on medium-high. Pour the sauce over the cauliflower in the dish, then sprinkle with the breadcrumb mixture.
5. Either cook straight away or place aside and complete cooing once guests have arrived. Cook in moderate oven until the sauce begins to bubble – 15 minutes roughly. Watch that the top does not brown too quickly and burn. Cover with thin foil if you are worried about it becoming too brown. Serve immediately.