• Skip to main content
  • Skip to after header navigation
  • Skip to site footer
Nordic kitchen stories logo

Nordic Kitchen stories

Inspired by family recipes

  • Home
  • Recipes
    • Baking
    • Breakfast
    • Brunch
    • Cakes
    • Desserts
    • Dinner
    • Drinks
    • Festive
    • Fika
    • Fish
    • Foraged Food
    • Gluten-Free
    • Healthy
    • Lunch
    • Main
    • Nordic
    • Pickling
    • Preserving
    • Salads
    • Sharing
    • Snacks
    • Soups
    • Sourdough Baking
    • Starters
    • Vegan
    • Vegetarian
  • Bespoke Cakes
  • Workshops
    • Sourdough Workshop
    • Nordic Baking Workshop
    • Pastry – Savoury Tarts
  • Work with me
  • About
  • Yulefest Ebooklet

Cauliflower Cheese Tart

3rd April 2019 by Louise

Cauliflower cheese tart

This was ‘I don’t know where the day has gone and I haven’t planned dinner kind of meal’.  In fact I raided the fridge in desperation only to find cauliflower, spinach leaves and cheddar cheese to work with. (I always try to buy vegetables in season and cauliflower is superb at the moment).  As a self confessed foodie I can’t bring myself to buy anything ready made, it just goes against the grain, truthfully I actually get a kick out of creating something from nothing.

Now that wild garlic is in season I’ll be substituting the spinach for the seasonal leaves, I think the combination works so well. If you find yourself at Marlow market on Saturday, I’ll be selling it with a seasonal salad.

Print Recipe

Cauliflower Cheese Tart

Prep Time45 minutes mins
Cook Time45 minutes mins
Total Time1 hour hr 30 minutes mins
Servings: 6 people

Ingredients

Pastry

  • 230 g plain flour
  • 115 g butter cold and diced
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 75 ml cold water

Filling

  • Half a cauliflower or 425g cut into floret
  • 250 ml Whole milk
  • 30 ml Cauliflower water
  • 15 g Butter
  • 15 g Plain flour
  • 80 g grated cheddar cheese mature
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1/4 tsp English mustard powder
  • 50 g Baby spinach
  • Approx. 1 tablespoon of Parmesan
  • 2 large Eggs
  • 1 Egg yolk
  • 250 ml Whole milk
  • Salt & Pepper
  • 1 pinch Nutmeg

Instructions

  • In the bowl of a food processor place the flour, butter and salt, pulse until it resembles breadcrumbs, add the cold water and pulse until a dough is formed. Removed from the bowl and roll into a ball and flatten wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
  • Pre-heat the oven to 180°C. Lightly grease a 11 x 34 x 2.5 cm or 28cm round fluted rectangular loose bottomed tin.
  • Line the case with the chilled pastry leaving an overhang. Line with baking beans and bake for 15 minutes, remove the beans and bake for a further 5 -10 minutes or until the pastry is dry and just turning golden. Cool a little. Trim the excess pastry with a microplane.
  • For the cauliflower filling cook the cauliflower in a saucepan of boiling salted water for 3 to 4 minutes until tender. Drain, keeping 30mls of water for the cheese sauce. Heat the milk and cauliflower water in a small saucepan over medium heat until hot. Melt the butter in another saucepan over medium heat, stir in the flour and cook for a couple of minutes. Gradually whisk in the hot milk and stir until it reaches simmering point. Simmer for 10 minutes before adding the cheese. Add the grated cheese and mustard, season well with salt and pepper.
  • Placed the cauliflower in an oven proof dish, pour over the cheese sauce and bake at 180°C for approximately 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool.
  • Crack the eggs in a bowl with the egg yolk, whisk briefly and add the milk, salt, pepper and nutmeg, whisk again.
  • To assemble: Scatter the spinach in the pastry case then nestle the cauliflower cheese among the spinach leaves and sprinkle with Parmesan. Pour in as much of the custard filling as you can without spilling. Return to the oven and bake for a further 25 to 30 minutes or until the past it has it and is golden brown.

Share this:

  • Print
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • Email
Category: Autumn, Baking, Dinner, Lunch, Spring, Summer, Vegetarian, WinterTag: Cauliflower, Cauliflower cheese, seasonal
Previous Post:Mother’s Day Almond Cake With Rhubarb & Rose Yogurt
Next Post:Garlicky Chicken

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




SPICED CHEESE & ONION BRIOCHE 1 large onion, fine SPICED CHEESE & ONION BRIOCHE

1 large onion, finely sliced
Olive oil for frying
1.5 tsp za’atar
0.5 tsp sumac
S & P
Soft cheese, ie. Camembert, Brie, Tallegio

Brioche (Enriched Dough)
400g strong white flour
220ml milk, warmed
6g fast action yeast
30g butter, room temperature
1 egg, lightly beaten
6g fine sea salt
Beaten egg for glazing
Sesame seeds 

1️⃣ Add the flour, yeast and salt to the bowl of a free standing mixer. Warm the milk to 38C and with the motor running on medium add the milk to the flour, follow with the egg, then the butter. Mix on medium for 5-6 minutes. Place in a bowl, cover and prove for 30-40 minutes or place in the fridge to use the following day if preferred.

2️⃣ Divide the dough into 8 and roll with a cupped hand into buns. Then with a rolling pin, flatten and roll into a disc shape. Place on a lined tray. Top each disc with cheese, then follow with the cooled onion mixture. Cover and prove for 30-40 minutes. Brush with beaten egg, then sprinkle with sesame seeds
Bake in a preheated oven on 200C fan for 10-12 minutes. Eat warm. (Freeze on the day of baking). 
.
.
.
.
.
#christmasfood #christmasbaking #bakefeed @britainsbesthomecooks_ #moodylight #brioche #feedfeed #recipereels #delicious #nordickitchenstories
Could there be a more festive-looking soup than th Could there be a more festive-looking soup than this? With the arrival of December on Friday, my attention turns towards Christmas and all its preparations…

I made this nourishing and hearty bowl of goodness using the 'Maris Bead' Fava Beans from my variety box from Hodmedods. A riff on Olia Hercules recipe for borsch.

Here’s what I did…
If using dried beans, drain the soaked beans and cook in a saucepan of boiling water for 45-60 minutes or until soft.
Pour 1.5 litres of veg or chicken stock into a large saucepan, put on the hob over a medium-high heat and bring to the boil. Add approx 300g diced celeriac or potato to the pan and boil for about 8-10 mins.

Heat a generous glug of olive oil in a large shallow pan over a low-medium heat. When it’s hot, add a finely chopped onion and cook, stirring, until it softens (approx 10 mins). You’re looking to slightly caramelise the onion and. Now add 2 large peeled beetroot, cut into matchsticks (I used a mandolin) and cook for 5 minutes before stirring in a can of chopped tomatoes.
Boil for a few minutes, then tip the contents of the frying pan into the saucepan with the stock and potatoes/celeriac. Add half a small white or red cabbage and drained beans. Simmer for 3-4 minutes – you may need to add more stock or water to loosen. Taste the soup, season if necessary.
Ladle the soup into bowls and serve with crème fraîche or Greek style yogurt and a few chopped fronds of dill, parsley & sunflower seeds.
Yesterday morning began early with a refreshing ch Yesterday morning began early with a refreshing chill in the air and stunningly bright blue skies. My Pepparkakor workshop at @the.maker.space was delightful, filled with both familiar and new faces. We made, baked, and decorated dozens of ginger thins. 
We don’t get many winter days like this so I couldn’t resist taking a walk under the afternoon sun. Did you notice the angle cloud? 

#workshops #learnsomethingnew #pepparkakor #oxfordshire
Interesting feedback on your preference between Re Interesting feedback on your preference between Reels and stills on stories! It appears most of you favour stills. This post was initially going to be a video, well I’ve struck half way between the two😅 (video now on Stories, saved in highlights).

We enjoyed them paired with pickled red cabbage, quinoa and salad for lunch. They're also great as part of a mezze meal or served smaller as canapés. 

Yellow Pea & Pumpkin Croquettes 

350g pumpkin, roast & skin
150g dried whole yellow peas (or split) soaked overnight
1/2 small onion, finely chopped 
1-2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 tbsp finely chopped coriander
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper 
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander 
1/4 tsp ground cardamom 
1/2 tsp baking powder
sunflower oil for brushing

Serve with herby Greek yogurt, (I added chopped dill)

12 croquettes 

1. Place the yellow peas (or split peas) in a bowl and cover with cold water at least twice their volume. Set aside to soak overnight.
2. The next day, drain the peas and combine them with the onion, garlic, parsley and coriander. Pulse in a food processor 2-3 times, (if using split peas pulse twice) until it is finely chopped, but not mushy or pasty, and holds itself together. Once processed, add the spices pumpkin, baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt. Mix well by hand until smooth and uniform. Cover the mixture and leave it in the fridge for 1 hour or until ready to use.
3. Shape into croquettes, brush with oil and grease the air fryer tray too. Airfry on 160C for 15-20 minutes or until golden. Serve with Herby Greek yogurt.
Been a while since I shared one of my celebration Been a while since I shared one of my celebration cakes! For those who've followed me for a while will know chocolate isn't my top pick, however I adore designing chocolate cakes. 

This one taught me not to recommend it as a birthday cake... Picture it with candles and delicate chocolate curls - chocolate snowflakes, if you will! 😳
Guinea Fowl Meatballs with Barley & Mushroom Risot Guinea Fowl Meatballs with Barley & Mushroom Risotto

Here’s a winter warmer!
It’s not often I post poultry or meat on my feed. I do occasionally like to eat it though, especially Guinea fowl, it’s such a tasty bird. This can be made with chicken too. 

300-350g minced Guinea fowl or chicken thighs 
1 small courgette, coarsely grated
1 garlic clove, minced
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp ground cinnamon
A pinch ground allspice
A pinch chilli flakes
small handful parsley leaves, roughly chopped
small handful mint leaves, roughly chopped
½ lemon, zest only

100g pearl barley, rinsed
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced 
150g mixed mushrooms, sliced
320ml approx chicken or veg stock
1 Tbls chopped parsley 
30g Parmesan, grated 
1 tsp cream cheese, full-fat

Fried crispy sage

(Serves 2-3)

For the meatballs. Place the grated courgette in a colander & sprinkle with a little salt. Leave for 20 minutes, then use your hands to squeeze out as much liquid as possible.
Transfer to a bowl with the chicken, garlic, spices, herbs, lemon zest, a generous sprinkling of salt & plenty of pepper. Using wet hands, shape into about 15 small balls.
Pour 1 Tbls oil into a large non-stick sauté pan, and place on a high heat. Once hot, add half the meatballs and fry for 2-3 mins, turning throughout until golden brown all over. Transfer the meatballs to a baking tray, repeat with the remainder. Now finish cooking in a preheated oven. 

In a frying pan, set to high, add a little oil and fry the mushrooms until golden. 
Heat a pan over a medium heat. Add a knob of butter & a little olive oil, once melted, add the onion a pinch of salt. Gently fry for 10 minutes, or until the onion is translucent. Add the garlic and continue to cook for two minutes.
Now add the pearl barley. Turn up the heat and cook for 2-3 minutes. Turn down the heat to medium and add a ladleful of warm stock. Stir well to mix &, once absorbed, add another ladleful, stirring now & again. Repeat until the stock is used up or the barley is tender approx 25 mins. *you may need to add a little more stock.
Add the mushrooms, taste & season to taste with S & P. Add the Parmesan, cream cheese & crispy sage.
Nordic kitchen stories logo

Sign up to receive my latest recipes by email

Copyright © 2023 · Louise Hurst · Privacy Policy · All Rights Reserved · Website by Callia Web