Neven Maguire Chef and food writer edit@farmersjournal.ie
This cauliflower gratin is a bit of a classic and one that anyone can make. Making a white sauce is one of the first things you learn about cooking. In this recipe you make your roux and then add in an onion and bay leaf and it gives a nice flavour with the black peppercorns. The trick is always to get it lump free. You can always hand blend it, but I think a whisk works best for this.
For me the star of the show is the Simply Better Extra Mature Drinagh cheddar. It is a fantastic product. I have been down to visit some of the farmers that supply the milk for this cheese to West Cork Co-Op. You can use cauliflower, or broccoli and it is absolutely gorgeous with the breadcrumbs on top. It is a real family favourite. I like to serve it with a Sunday lunch roast beef.
The Manchego tortilla is like a Spanish omelette. There are lots of interesting flavours in this recipe. The caramelised red onion is sweet while there is the saltiness from the Manchego cheddar cheese. You could add cooked ham, or cooked chicken. This is one of those delicious meals that you could have for breakfast, lunch or indeed any time.
Happy cooking,
Neven
Cauliflower gratin
Serves six
2 tbsp ciabatta breadcrumbs
1 tbsp Simply Better Grated Extra Mature Drinagh Cheddar
1 cauliflower, broken into even sized florets
25g butter, plus extra for greasing
For the cheese sauce:
100g Simply Better Grated Extra Mature Drinagh Cheddar
900ml milk
1 small onion, roughly chopped
1 bay Leaf
½ tsp Black Peppercorns
50g butter
50g plain flour
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 First, make the cheese sauce. Place the milk in a pan with the onion, bay leaf and peppercorns. Bring to the boil, then remove from the heat, cover and set aside to infuse for at least 10 minutes. Strain through a fine mesh sieve into a jug.2 Wipe out the pan and use it to melt the butter. Add the flour and cook for one minute, stirring. Remove from the heat and gradually pour in the infused milk, whisking until smooth after each addition. Season to taste. Bring to the boil, whisking constantly, then reduce the heat and simmer gently for five minutes until smooth and thickened, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and stir in the cheese until it has melted. Set aside until needed.3 Once the sauce is made, preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F, gas mark six). Grease a baking dish with a little butter. Place the cauliflower in a steamer set over a pan of boiling water and sprinkle over salt to taste. Cover and cook for five to 10 minutes until just tender – check by piercing a stem with a small sharp knife.4 Spread a couple of tablespoons of the cheese sauce in the bottom of the buttered baking dish. Tip in the cauliflower and arrange in an even layer, then cover with the remaining cheese sauce.5 Melt the butter in a small pan or in the microwave and stir in the breadcrumbs, then fold in the grated cheddar and season to taste. Sprinkle this over the cauliflower and bake for 25-30 minutes, until bubbling and golden. Serve at once, straight to the table.Manchego tortilla with Iberico ham and caramelised red onion chutney
Serves four
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 packet baby new potatoes
6 large eggs
100g Simply Better Spanish Manchego Cheese, grated
1 packet Simply Better Spanish Iberico Ham
4 tbsp caramelised red onion chutney
1 packet baby salad leaves
½ tsp balsamic vinegar
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 Heat two tablespoons of the olive oil in a non-stick frying pan. Add the onion and sauté for five minutes until softened. Thinly slice the baby potatoes and dry them well in a clean tea towel. Toss to combine with the softened onion, then season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Reduce the heat and cover with a lid or flat plate, then cook gently for 15-20 minutes until tender. Turn them over once or twice and shake the pan occasionally to ensure they cook evenly. 2 Break the carton of eggs into a bowl, add a pinch of salt, and then whisk lightly with a fork. Add to the frying pan and scatter over the cheese. Reduce the heat to its lowest setting and cook for about 10 minutes, then flash under the grill until just cooked through and lightly golden. Leave to settle for a few minutes then cut into slices and place a nice wedge on each serving plate. Add a tumble of the Iberico ham and add a dollop of the chutney. Garnish with some salad leaves and dress with a little extra olive oil and the balsamic vinegar to serve.
Neven Maguire Chef and food writer edit@farmersjournal.ie
This cauliflower gratin is a bit of a classic and one that anyone can make. Making a white sauce is one of the first things you learn about cooking. In this recipe you make your roux and then add in an onion and bay leaf and it gives a nice flavour with the black peppercorns. The trick is always to get it lump free. You can always hand blend it, but I think a whisk works best for this.
For me the star of the show is the Simply Better Extra Mature Drinagh cheddar. It is a fantastic product. I have been down to visit some of the farmers that supply the milk for this cheese to West Cork Co-Op. You can use cauliflower, or broccoli and it is absolutely gorgeous with the breadcrumbs on top. It is a real family favourite. I like to serve it with a Sunday lunch roast beef.
The Manchego tortilla is like a Spanish omelette. There are lots of interesting flavours in this recipe. The caramelised red onion is sweet while there is the saltiness from the Manchego cheddar cheese. You could add cooked ham, or cooked chicken. This is one of those delicious meals that you could have for breakfast, lunch or indeed any time.
Happy cooking,
Neven
Cauliflower gratin
Serves six
2 tbsp ciabatta breadcrumbs
1 tbsp Simply Better Grated Extra Mature Drinagh Cheddar
1 cauliflower, broken into even sized florets
25g butter, plus extra for greasing
For the cheese sauce:
100g Simply Better Grated Extra Mature Drinagh Cheddar
900ml milk
1 small onion, roughly chopped
1 bay Leaf
½ tsp Black Peppercorns
50g butter
50g plain flour
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 First, make the cheese sauce. Place the milk in a pan with the onion, bay leaf and peppercorns. Bring to the boil, then remove from the heat, cover and set aside to infuse for at least 10 minutes. Strain through a fine mesh sieve into a jug.2 Wipe out the pan and use it to melt the butter. Add the flour and cook for one minute, stirring. Remove from the heat and gradually pour in the infused milk, whisking until smooth after each addition. Season to taste. Bring to the boil, whisking constantly, then reduce the heat and simmer gently for five minutes until smooth and thickened, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and stir in the cheese until it has melted. Set aside until needed.3 Once the sauce is made, preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F, gas mark six). Grease a baking dish with a little butter. Place the cauliflower in a steamer set over a pan of boiling water and sprinkle over salt to taste. Cover and cook for five to 10 minutes until just tender – check by piercing a stem with a small sharp knife.4 Spread a couple of tablespoons of the cheese sauce in the bottom of the buttered baking dish. Tip in the cauliflower and arrange in an even layer, then cover with the remaining cheese sauce.5 Melt the butter in a small pan or in the microwave and stir in the breadcrumbs, then fold in the grated cheddar and season to taste. Sprinkle this over the cauliflower and bake for 25-30 minutes, until bubbling and golden. Serve at once, straight to the table.Manchego tortilla with Iberico ham and caramelised red onion chutney
Serves four
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 packet baby new potatoes
6 large eggs
100g Simply Better Spanish Manchego Cheese, grated
1 packet Simply Better Spanish Iberico Ham
4 tbsp caramelised red onion chutney
1 packet baby salad leaves
½ tsp balsamic vinegar
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 Heat two tablespoons of the olive oil in a non-stick frying pan. Add the onion and sauté for five minutes until softened. Thinly slice the baby potatoes and dry them well in a clean tea towel. Toss to combine with the softened onion, then season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Reduce the heat and cover with a lid or flat plate, then cook gently for 15-20 minutes until tender. Turn them over once or twice and shake the pan occasionally to ensure they cook evenly. 2 Break the carton of eggs into a bowl, add a pinch of salt, and then whisk lightly with a fork. Add to the frying pan and scatter over the cheese. Reduce the heat to its lowest setting and cook for about 10 minutes, then flash under the grill until just cooked through and lightly golden. Leave to settle for a few minutes then cut into slices and place a nice wedge on each serving plate. Add a tumble of the Iberico ham and add a dollop of the chutney. Garnish with some salad leaves and dress with a little extra olive oil and the balsamic vinegar to serve.
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