breathing new life into a timeless classic

well, by the time it was done it was hardly Cauliflower Cheese anymore.

I have fondness for cauliflower - curried, or baked, or steamed and dressed - but never raw, never underdone ... cauliflower has a subtlety and delicacy of flavor that requires thoughtful treatment.

I have a horror of bechamel sauce, that smothering white gloop that tastes of nothing, so that was the first thing to go. I must have absorbed the information that anchovies and chili married well with cauliflower from the indomitable Jane Grigson, and was guided by the memory of a friend from primary school's mother in some kind of ankle length tapestry dress serving up cauliflower cheese as a Sunday afternoon treat ... a moment that was surprising, and enlightening, a window onto the lifestyle of sophisticated and bohemian people who ate vegetables as a main course.

I divided my cauliflower into manly sized florets and blanched it in boiling salted water, drain, but not too carefully - the water that clings to the cooked vegetable will help to steam it when it is baked later on.

In a large pan, I gently cooked some anchovy fillets, garlic and fresh red chili in a generous amount of olive oil and butter. When the garlic was looking like it may turn golden, I turned the cauliflower gently in this mixture, making sure everything was well coated.

I arranged the cauliflower in a baking dish, added a little milk, gave it a shake, then distributed a reasonable quantity of grated parmesan and breadcrumbs over the top. It went into a hot oven for 10 minutes, then the temperature was reduced to medium, and it cooked for a further 20 minutes, until golden with plenty of crunchy bits.

Exceptionally good end of the working week food, served with a cos and herb salad and a beer.