Baked cauliflowers

Ingredients

• 1 large, or 2 small cauliflower (Choose a firm, fresh head with tight white florets and tender leaves still attached.)
• 1 to taste butter (Used to generously grease the baking dish before adding the cauliflower.)
• 1 pinch white pepper (Just a light dusting — white pepper is milder and less visible than black pepper.)
• 1 pinch salt (Only a very small amount — the original calls for 'a dream of salt'.)
• 1 coffee cupful (approx. 120ml / ½ cup) good white sauce (A ready-made or homemade white (béchamel) sauce. It should be smooth and pourable.)
• 1 to taste Parmesan (Finely grated. Use enough to form a visible even layer across the surface of the dish.)

Instructions

1. 1Select a large, fresh cauliflower (or two small ones). Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Add the whole cauliflower head (or heads) and boil carefully. The cauliflower must be slightly undercooked — test by piercing the stem with a knife; it should meet a little resistance. Do not let it become soft or mushy, as it will continue cooking in the oven. Drain it thoroughly and set aside.
2. 2Preheat your oven to 220°C (200°C fan / 425°F / Gas 7) — this is what the original recipe calls a 'quick oven'. Take an oven-safe baking dish and rub it generously all over the base and sides with butter.
3. 3Place the drained cauliflower head(s) in the centre of the buttered baking dish with the florets facing upward. Neatly arrange any tender leaves and stalks around the edges of the cauliflower so the dish looks tidy and the whole vegetable is presented nicely.
4. 4Sprinkle a small pinch of white pepper evenly over the cauliflower. Follow with the very lightest pinch of salt — just enough to barely season it.
5. 5Pour approximately one coffee cupful (about 120ml or ½ cup) of good white sauce around and over the cauliflower. Aim to fill all the gaps and crevices between the florets, leaves, and stalks so the sauce coats everything evenly.
6. 6Scatter a generous, even layer of finely grated Parmesan over the entire surface of the cauliflower and sauce so it covers the top completely.
7. 7Place the dish in the preheated hot oven (220°C / 425°F) and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling and the Parmesan is beginning to melt and turn golden.
8. 8To finish, brown the top of the cheese. The original method uses a red-hot iron passed just over the surface. The modern equivalent is to briefly place the dish under a hot grill (broiler) for 1 to 2 minutes, keeping a close eye on it, until the Parmesan is deeply golden and bubbling. Serve immediately straight from the dish.