Herb-crusted cauliflower and leek ‘cheese’

Name: Herb-crusted cauliflower and leek ‘cheese’
Yield: Serves 4
Ingredients: 1 large cauliflower, cut into florets; 1 leek, sliced into 2cm rounds; For the ‘cheese’ sauce; 400ml tin coconut milk; 5 tbsp nutritional yeast (see Know-how); 80g raw cashew nuts, soaked in freshly boiled water for 15 minutes; 1 banana shallot; 1 tbsp white miso paste; 6 tbsp non-dairy milk; Juice ½ lemon; 1 garlic clove; 1 bay leaf; 2 fresh thyme sprigs; For the herb topping; 100g dried breadcrumbs; Handful fresh flatleaf parsley; 2 fresh rosemary sprigs, leaves picked; Handful fresh sage leaves; 4 fresh thyme sprigs, leaves picked; 3 tbsp rapeseed oil; You’ll also need…; 15cm x 23cm ovenproof baking dish

By: Gaz Oakley

Published: 6 Feb 19
Updated: 18 Mar 24

Test kitchen approved

Gaz Oakley uses coconut milk, miso and nutritional yeast in his vegan mac ‘n’ cheese for a creamy texture and ‘cheesy’ flavour.

This recipe is from Gaz’s cookbook, Vegan Christmas (Quadrille £15).

A fan of Gaz Oakley? Try another one of his recipes here.

Serves 4
Hands-on time 20 min, oven time 20-25 min

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Ingredients

1 large cauliflower, cut into florets
1 leek, sliced into 2cm rounds

For the ‘cheese’ sauce

400ml tin coconut milk
5 tbsp nutritional yeast (see Know-how)
80g raw cashew nuts, soaked in freshly boiled water for 15 minutes
1 banana shallot
1 tbsp white miso paste
6 tbsp non-dairy milk
Juice ½ lemon
1 garlic clove
1 bay leaf
2 fresh thyme sprigs

For the herb topping

100g dried breadcrumbs
Handful fresh flatleaf parsley
2 fresh rosemary sprigs, leaves picked
Handful fresh sage leaves
4 fresh thyme sprigs, leaves picked
3 tbsp rapeseed oil

You’ll also need…

15cm x 23cm ovenproof baking dish

Method

Heat the oven to 190°C/170°C fan/gas 5 and heat a large saucepan of water until boiling. Add the cauliflower florets and leek slices, then cook for 3 minutes.
Put all the sauce ingredients, except the bay leaf and thyme, into a blender and whizz until smooth.
Lift out the cauliflower and leek with a slotted spoon into a bowl and set aside. Discard the water, put the pan back on a low heat and pour in the sauce. Add the bay leaf and thyme.
Clean the blender and quickly whizz together the herb topping ingredients until you have fine crumbs.
Add the cauliflower and leek to the hot sauce, stir to combine, then season with salt and pepper. Tip the mixture into the baking dish and sprinkle over the herby breadcrumbs. Bake on the bottom shelf of the oven for 20-25 minutes or until the topping is golden brown. Keep an eye on it – you don’t want it to burn. Serve straightaway.

Recipe from December 2018 Issue

Nutrition

Nutrition: per serving

Calories: 553kcals
Fat: 36.6g (17.2g saturated)
Protein: 18.7g
Carbohydrates: 34.1g (7.4g sugars)
Fibre: 5.9g
Salt: 0.6g

delicious. tips

For a gluten-free dish, check your breadcrumbs and miso are gluten free.
Assemble the gratin up to a day ahead and keep covered in the fridge. Follow the recipe to serve, adding an extra 5-10 minutes to the oven time.

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Herb-crusted cauliflower and leek ‘cheese’

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