Brussel Sprout Gratin with Colston Bassett Stilton
The ritual of cooking staff lunch at Neal's Yard Dairy, is a wonderfully egalitarian affair and we all take our turn. This delicious lunch was cooked up for us by one of our directors, Sarah, and it was a comforting, welcome dish on a very cold day.
Packed with Colston Bassett Stilton, and roasted Brussel sprouts we thought it would be a perfect alternative to pale boiled sprouts for Christmas dinner - or a quick easy leftovers feast for betwixtmas. (we had ours with a roast potato side)
Our recipe uses Colston Bassett Stilton but feel free to combine other cheese in the sauce if you have bits to use up - though we would recommend the blue cheese topping for that tasty tang to complement the sweet roasted sprouts. If you have stale bread, a dusting of bread crumbs wouldn't go amiss for a tasty crunch.
The recipe below is adapted for a roasting dish size to feed around 6.
Ingredients
600g Brussel Sprouts - chopped in half, can have more if you prefer
3 Large Leeks - sliced, if short of leeks use white onions
150g Colston Bassett Stilton - crumbled over the top of gratin before cooking.
100g Salted butter
Salt & Pepper to season
Cheese Sauce
500ml milk
100g grated/crumbled cheese - a mix of cheese you have to hand but try to include some cow's milk cheese like Cheddar or Lancashire
50g butter
2tbsp plain flour
2 tsp English Mustard
Preheat the oven to around 190 degrees celsius
To Make -
Step 1 - Get your chopped Brussel sprouts, and pop them in the roasting dish with a little oil and salt. Roast them in the oven for about 25 minutes, being careful not to burn but get a little browning to bring out their sweetness.
Step 2 - While they are roasting, make up the cheese sauce, you want it not too thick but with enough body to bubble when it bakes. Heat the butter and flour into a roux on the hob, then slowly add the milk. Once this is combined add in the grated cheese and season to taste with pepper and the English mustard.
Step 3 - In another pan, soften the leeks with the butter over a gentle heat. You want them nice and soft with beautifully leeky butter to add to the dish.
Step 4 - Now you have all your parts, combine them in the roasting dish, as simple as that. Add the leeks to the sprouts, making sure the butter covers everything, then pour the cheese sauce over ensuring it covers the whole dish. crumble some of the stilton over the dish, and gentle fold it in, then crumble the rest across the top. Season with pepper, and add your breadcrumbs here too if you wish.
Step 5- Put the dish in the oven, for about 25 minutes, or until the top is golden and bubbly. Serve with roasted root veg, leftover mash or crusty buttered bread.
