Romanesco broccoli in cheese sauce

At first glance, this looks a lot more complicated than it is.

It really is remarkably easy to make, and it is quite difficult to go wrong, as you really don't need any particular cooking skills.

It is also something of a rarity. It's a vegetarian dish that I enjoy cooking, and eating!

Give it a go, you'll be pleasantly surprised.

INGREDIENTS

Romanesco broccoli,

1 potato,

1 onion,

grated cheese,

butter,

flour,

milk,

salt,

pepper,

olive oil.

STEPS

1)Break the broccoli florets from the stem (the florets are the individual segments of broccoli, that are attached to the central core), and throw the stem in the bin.

Slice the onion and the potato.

Put the florets into a pan, and boil in salted water for about 7-8 minutes.

Put the onion and potato in a covered frying pan with 2-3 knobs of butter and a little oil, and fry them on a low flame. You do not want them to brown, so gently fry them!

2)Whilst the vegetables are cooking you can make the cheese sauce.

In a pan, place 2-3 knobs of butter, a spoonful of olive oil and a pinch of salt (no more than a pinch, the cheese will provide sufficient salt), and a little pepper, and heat on a medium/low flame. The oil will stop the butter from burning.

Once the butter has melted, add a heaped spoonful of flour, and stir well to make sure you leave no lumps of flour, then slowly (continually stirring), add milk until you get a mixture similar in texture to that of single cream.

Now, add the cheese and stir until it has fully incorporated into the milk, then remove it from the flame.

You now have cheese sauce!

3)When the broccoli falls off a fork, on being pinched, remove it from the flame, strain and rinse it, then place it into a bowl of very cold water (iced would be best, as the cold helps the broccoli maintain it's rich green colouring).

When the potatoes are soft and the onion is transparent, remove them from the flame, and it's time to arrange them in a baking dish with the broccoli.

Then pour your cheese sauce over the top.