Cauliflower cheese will be tastier with extra ingredient that makes it even 'heartier'

Cauliflower cheese is a Sunday roast favourite, and this recipe makes it even more delicious. This innovative version fromThe Hairy Bikers' Great British Food Revival adds bacon to turn it into a delicious meal for four. When made as per their instructions, this dish should take less than 30 minutes to throw together before cooking.

Sharing the recipe online, BBC Food stated: "Cauliflower cheesewith a fantastic crunchy parmesan topping. The bacon and mushrooms make it hearty enough to work as a main course."

How to make cauliflower cheese tastier

Ingredients

For the cauliflower

• One head cauliflower, trimmed and broken into florets

For the béchamel sauce

• 250g smoked streaky bacon, cut into 1cm/½in strips
• 250g chestnut mushrooms, finely sliced
• 25g butter
• 50g plain flour
• 250ml full-fat milk
• Pinch English mustard powder
• 200g gruyère cheese, grated
• 55ml double cream
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Pinch ground nutmeg

For the topping

• 50g ciabatta breadcrumbs
• 50g parmesan cheese, finely grated

Method

Boil the cauliflower florets in a large pot of salted water for roughly 10 minutes, or until they become just soft enough to pierce with a knife. Drain thoroughly and leave to cool slightly.

While the cauliflower is cooking, prepare the béchamel. Start by dry-frying the bacon strips in a skillet over medium heat until they're browned but still soft. Transfer the bacon to a plate using a slotted spoon, leaving the rendered fat in the pan.

In the same pan, sauté the mushrooms in the reserved bacon fat for two to three minutes until they turn golden. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a separate saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the flour and cook briefly, whisking constantly to form a smooth roux. Gradually pour in the milk while whisking to prevent lumps. Once the mixture thickens, incorporate the mustard powder, grated cheese, and double cream. Stir continuously until the sauce becomes smooth and velvety. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, then gently mix in the cooked bacon and mushrooms.

Set the oven to 180C (160C for fan ovens) or Gas Mark four.

Arrange the cauliflower in a baking dish and evenly coat with the cheese sauce. Lightly dust the top with freshly grated nutmeg.

For the crust, combine ciabatta breadcrumbs and parmesan, then scatter over the dish. Bake for 15 minutes, or until the surface is crisp, golden, and bubbling at the edges.