Broccoli and Cheese Bake
Broccoli loses its colour to heat, but gradually rather than at once. Three minutes in boiling water and a bowl of iced water stop the process at its brightest green; after that the bake browns before the vegetable greys. Without blanching, broccoli comes out of the oven drab and soft.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 35 min
- Rest
- 10 min
- Total
- 1 h 5 min
- Servings
- 6
- Level
- Easy
- Per serving
- 280 kcal
Ingredients
Makes: a 22×30 cm dish, 6 portions
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The ingredients for the servings you chose — copy them or send them to a messenger. Tick what you already have at home: only the rest goes on the list.
Method
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Step 1: Break it into florets
Cut even-sized florets; peel the stalk and slice it into rounds — it is as good as the tops, it just needs a minute longer.
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Step 2: Blanch 3 minutes
Drop it into boiling salted water for exactly three minutes. Longer and it is overcooked before it reaches the oven.
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Step 3: Shock it in ice water
Lift it straight into a bowl of iced water for 2 minutes. The shock fixes the bright green that would otherwise fade to grey.
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Step 4: Dry it well
Drain and blot with a towel. Water on the florets dilutes the custard and it will not set.
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Step 5: Make the custard
Beat the eggs with cream, garlic, nutmeg, salt and pepper and stir in two thirds of the cheese.
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Step 6: Assemble and bake
Arrange the broccoli in a buttered dish, pour the custard over, scatter the rest of the cheese and bake 30–35 minutes at 180 °C to golden. Rest 10 minutes.
Tips & variations
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Tip
Frozen broccoli needs no blanching — it was blanched at the factory. Thaw it, squeeze it dry and use it straight away, or the bake floods.
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Tip
Nutmeg is the classic partner to cream and cheese: a quarter teaspoon is not detectable on its own, but without it the custard tastes flat.
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Variation
Half cauliflower gives colour contrast and a milder flavour. With 100 g of fried bacon it is no longer vegetarian, but considerably more filling.
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Storage
Three days in the fridge. Reheat in the oven: in a microwave the custard weeps and the bake goes watery.
Nutrition
| 1 serving | Whole dish 6 servings | |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 280 kcal | 1,680 kcal |
| Protein | 16 g | 96 g |
| Fat | 20 g | 120 g |
| Carbohydrates | 9 g | 54 g |
Approximate values calculated from standard ingredient data.
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