Comfort food is a strange notion as surely all food should be a source of comfort in some way. But there are certainly types of meals which answer the description especially well. This hybrid of cauliflower cheese and toad in the hole is one - sounds odd, maybe, but it is tasty, easy, vegetarian after the Xmas excess, and economical as well.
I halved the quantitities from a magazine article, to make lots for 2 people. So if you want to feed 6 rather than 2-4, you can double the ingredients here. But one cauliflower in either case will do, and it makes lots, so even for 6 you could get smaller portions out of this and add a green veg on the side. It is so comforting that we manage to eat nearly all of it in one go with a quarter left to eat cold in squares the next for for lunch...
Cauli Cheese in a Hole - generous for 2/4 - leftovers can be eaten cold!
One small cauliflower divided into florets
1 red onion in wedges
S and P, thyme sprigs picked, 1 clove garlic crushed, a sprinkle or grating of nutmeg, sage leaves chopped finely.
Oven 200C/No 6
Put cauliflower and onion on a shallow roasting tray and season with the herbs etc. Drizzle wth olive oil, toss to coat and roast for 25 mins until tender.
Beat 300 ml milk, 3 eggs and 120 pl flour to make a batter. Season and let it stand.
Grate 175 gms of cheese, mixed types if you can, to include parmesan, cheddar or a similar strong one. You could use some mozzarella if you happen to have it.
Take the tray out of the oven and turn up the heat - put in a clean dish or roasting tray, roughly 20cm square or a larger oblong, with a couple of tablespoons of oil. Let that heat until it is smoking, carefully put in your vegetables spread out, top with all the cheese, then pour in your batter.
Cook 20-25 minutes till risen and brown. Watch for over browning, (as in the photo!), if your hot oven gets very hot and turn it down a little after 15 minutes.
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