Wer hätte gedacht, dass Blumenkohl auf Brot so eine gute Figur macht? Dazu eine Cheddar-Stout-Sauce, das klingt mächtig massiv, aber die Schärfe von Cayenne-Pfeffer gibt dem Ganzen ein interessantes Profil. Erstaunlich. Katja

ORIGINALREZEPT von Raquel Pelzel: Cauliflower and Beer Rarebit Toast
Serves 4

Deb Perelman, of the popular Smitten Kitchen blog and cookbook, combined two cheesy obsessions of hers into one English pub-style toast: cauliflower and rarebit. The béchamel for the rarebit is made with extra-sharp Cheddar and stout beer instead of the traditional milk. The molten sauce is ladled over cauliflower-topped bread (roasting the cauliflower at 400°F [200°C/Gas Mark 6] with a couple of tablespoons of oil for about 20 minutes is especially nice if you have the time), resulting in one incredibly comforting, cozy toast.

Tipps for using a broiler
When I make toast, nine times out of ten, I’ll use my broiler (grill). This method of toasting adds the loveliest extra dimension of singed flavor from the broiler element (especially if you have a gas oven – then the toast tastes grill kissed). A grill (barbecue) also does the trick, but in New York City, it’s not the most practical approach to cooking for four to five months of the year.

Drizzle one side of each slice of bread with oil (extra-virgin olive oil or grapeseed oil are my go-to selects) or spread with softened butter, then season with a few pinches of kosher salt.

Position an oven rack in the top third of the oven, 3-4 inches (7.5-10 cm) from the broiler (grill) element, and preheat to high. If you have an old-school broiler drawer beneath your oven, you can get a better result by setting the baking sheet on top of a muffin tin, thereby elevating the baking sheet to 2-3 inches (5-7.5 cm) from the heating element.

Set the bread on a foil-lined baking sheet and broil until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes (watch the bread closely as broiler intensities vary – never walk away from food under the broiler!).

Flip the bread slices and toast the other side until golden brown, another 1-2 minutes.

Ingredients for the Cauliflower and Cheese Sauce
1 small head cauliflower, cut into bite-size florets
2 teaspoons kosher (coarse) salt
3 tablespoons (45 g) unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose (plain) flour
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard or mustard powder
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cups (250 ml) porter or stout beer
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, plus extra for serving
1 cups (about 6 oz/170 g) grated extra-sharp Cheddar cheese

Ingredients for the Toast
Four-inch (2 cm) thick slices rye bread
Fresh flat-leaf parsley (optional)

Preparation
1. Make the cauliflower: Bring a saucepan of water to a boil. Add the cauliflower and 2 teaspoons of the salt and cook until the cauliflower is just tender, 4–5 minutes. Drain, then turn the cauliflower out onto a tea towel to cool.

2. Make the cheese sauce: In the saucepan used for the cauliflower, melt the butter over mediumhigh heat. Add the flour and whisk constantly for 1 minute. Whisk in the mustard and cayenne. Drizzle in the beer in a slow stream, whisking constantly to ensure the mixture remains smooth. Add the Worcestershire sauce and the remaining teaspoon salt, and stir using a wooden spoon until the mixture thickens a bit, 30 seconds–1 minute. Add the Cheddar, a little at a time, letting each addition melt before adding the next. Once all of the cheese is
added, remove from the heat, taste, and adjust the seasonings if needed. Set aside to cool slightly.

3. Make the toast: While the sauce cools, preheat the broiler (grill) to high. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Arrange the bread on the sheet and broil until golden brown on both sides, 1-2 minutes per side.

4. To serve, top each toast with a few cauliflower florets. Ladle a generous amount of the cheese sauce over each toast, splash with a few shakes of Worcestershire, and serve with parsley, if desired.