Ham Hock Cauliflower Cheese
Ingredients
- 150g slow roasted ham hock
- 1 medium cauliflower, inc the more tender leaves if you like separated into medium sized florets
Cheese sauce
- 500ml full fat milk
- 50g plain flour
- 50g butter
- 100g extra mature cheddar grated
- 2 tsp English Mustard
Topping
- Approx 50g cheddar
- 1 tbsp golden breadcrumbs
Preparation
Add the cauliflower to a pan of boiling water with a good pinch of salt and bring to the boil for 3 minutes, then drain and set aside.
Heat the milk in a pan or in the microwave until close to boiling point and set aside.
Put the butter in a pan on medium heat; when melted, add the flour and stir to form a paste, then cook for a couple of minutes.
Whisk in the milk approximately 100ml at a time until the mixture thickens and becomes smooth, continuing until all milk is added.
Stir in the cheese for the sauce and the mustard until smooth, then arrange the cauliflower in a baking dish with the leaves if using and place the ham hock in bite-size chunks between the cauliflower, pour the sauce evenly over the top and sprinkle over the cheese and breadcrumbs.
Bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees Celsius fan for 35 minutes until golden brown.
Notes
Slow roasting a ham hock for approximately 6 hours at 120 degrees Celsius fan oven, covered loosely with foil and with 1 cm water added and topped up every couple of hours, provides meat for this dish and other uses such as pies or croquettes, and the bones can be used to make stock.
