Creamy cauliflower and leek bake

I don't know about you, but I'd be quite happy if I never saw another mince pie. After all the indulgence of the festive season I feel it's time to load up on veggies. This dish couldn't be more full of vegetables, but is still warm and comforting, topped with a crispy, cheesy (but not too cheesy) crust.

 

The flavours of leek and cauliflower work perfectly together. The tomatoes on top are not strictly necessary - and admittedly most tomatoes in the shops don't taste of much at this time of year - but they do add a nice touch of colour, and if you've got any that are slightly past their best, then this is a good way of using them up.

I don't think there's any shame in using frozen cauliflower here - it can save a bit of time, and you're going to purée the cauliflower anyway, so I doubt you'll notice the difference.

Ingredients

Serves 4 to 6

3 medium leeks, washed and trimmed
2 tsp vegetable oil
2 tsp fresh thyme leaves or 1 tsp dried thyme
100ml white wine (optional)
500g cauliflower florets, fresh or frozen
1tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp paprika
2 cloves garlic, peel left on
200g soft cheese / cream cheese (low fat is fine)
3 medium tomatoes, sliced
50g / 2oz breadcrumbs
25g / 1oz grated Parmesan or similar hard cheese

Method

Preheat the oven to gas mark 5 / 190C / 375F.

Slice the leeks about 1cm/ half an inch thick. Put them in a large pan with a lid, with 2 tsp oil and the thyme. You may need to do this in two batches, depending on the size of your pan. Cover and cook over a moderate heat for five minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the white wine, if using, or 100ml vegetable stock or water if not. Cook for a further 5-10 minutes or until the leeks are soft.

Meanwhile, boil the cauliflower with the unpeeled garlic cloves until tender (defrost first if using  frozen). Drain, reserving the garlic cloves. Place in a food processor or blender with the garlic cloves (peel them first), oregano, paprika, soft cheese, salt and black pepper. Blend to a thick purée. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.

If using mushrooms, wash and slice fairly thickly, then fry them in a little vegetable oil or butter until starting to brown.

Arrange the leeks in a layer in the bottom of an ovenproof dish. If using mushrooms, add them in a layer on top. Cover with the cauliflower mixture. Arrange the sliced tomatoes on top, then sprinkle with the breadcrumbs and the Parmesan cheese.

Bake for about 30 minutes or until the breadcrumbs are browned and crispy and the dish is piping hot all the way through.

Variation: A layer of cooked mushrooms between the leeks and the cauliflower makes a nice addition.