Cauliflower Gratin with Manchego & honey mustard pork chops

Cauliflower gratin with manchego and honey mustard pork chops

Ingredients (serves 4)

  • 1head of cauliflower, cut into 1 1/2-inch florets
  • 100 gr manchego cheese, grated
  • 4 pork chops

For the bechamel sauce

  • 425ml milk
  • a few parsley stalks
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 10 whole black peppercorns
  • 1 slice onion, 1/4 inch (5 mm) thick
  • 40g butter
  • 20g plain flour
  • salt and  black pepper


For the pork chop marinade

  • Olive oil, to brush for the marinade
  • 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 2 tbsp clear honey
  • 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tbsp light soy sauce

How to:

  1. Mix the marinade ingredients together in a shallow bowl. Add the pork chops and turn to coat well. Cover with clingfilm and marinate in the fridge for a few hours or overnight.
  2. Preheat the oven to 200°C. In a large pot, bring 1/2 inch of salted water to a boil. Add the cauliflower, cover and cook over high heat until crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Drain the cauliflower in a colander.
  3. In the meantime prepare the bechamel sauce.  First place the milk in a small saucepan and add the parsley stalks, bay leaf,  peppercorns and onion. Then place it over a low heat and let it come very slowly up to simmering point, which will take approximately 5 minutes. Then remove the saucepan from the heat and strain the milk into a jug, discarding the flavourings.
  4. Melt  the butter , and as soon as the butter melts, add the flour and, over a medium heat and using a small pointed wooden spoon, stir quite vigorously to make a smooth, glossy paste. Now begin adding the infused milk a little at a time – about 25ml first of all and stir again vigorously. When about half the milk is in, switch to a balloon whisk and start adding large amounts of milk, but always whisking briskly.
  5. Place the cauliflower florets in ramekins and and spread the bechamel sauce on top.  Springle the gratin with the grated manchego.
  6. Bake for about 20 min or until bubbling and browned on top.
  7. Serve with the grilled pork chops .
By | 2017-08-09T15:21:22+01:00 June 1st, 2010|Cooking, Pork|