Slightly Spiced Cauliflower Gratin

Cauliflower is on special this week at The Fresh Ingredient, and because so many people ask me what to do to make cauliflower more interesting, here is one of my cauliflower standbys (serves 4)

Ingredients
1 cauliflower, cut into florets
60g butter
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 cup fresh breadcrumbs (made from day-old bread, sourdough if you can)
cheese sauce
500ml (2 cups) milk
30g butter
2 tbs plain flour
1tbs Herbies “Balmain & Rozelle Spice”
40g (1/2 cup) coarsely grated tasty cheese
Salt & ground white pepper
Method
1. Preheat oven to 180°C.
2. To make the cheese sauce, melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat until foaming. Add the flour & Herbies Spice mix and cook, stirring, for 1-2 minutes or until mixture bubbles and begins to come away from the side of the pan. Remove from heat.
3. Gradually pour in half the milk, whisking constantly with a balloon whisk until mixture is smooth. Gradually add the remaining milk, whisking until smooth and combined.
4. Place saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to the boil, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, for 5 minutes or until sauce thickens and coats the back of the spoon. Remove from heat. Add the cheese and stir until cheese melts. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
5. Meanwhile, cook the cauliflower in a large saucepan of salted boiling water for 7 minutes. Drain. Arrange the cauliflower in a 1.5L (6 cup) capacity ovenproof dish.
6. Melt butter in a frying pan over high heat until foaming. Add garlic and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add breadcrumbs and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from heat.
7. Pour cheese sauce over cauliflower. Sprinkle evenly with breadcrumbs. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes or until golden brown and heated through. Remove from oven and serve immediately. Works well with lamb, chicken or beef.