Easy Cheese Sauce for Broccoli or Cauliflower

 

Easy Cheese Sauce for Broccoli or Cauliflower

 

The idea for this cheese sauce for serving over vegetables emerged out of my experiments on an easy hot cheese salsa for dipping tortilla chips, which my grandkids like at Tex-Mex restaurants.

Here’s an easy non-Mexican cheese sauce for spooning over hot steamed or roasted vegetables. I’m also including an easy steaming method for broccoli and cauliflower to enjoy the sauce with.

 

Cheese Sauce:

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

3/4 teaspoon cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

A large pinch of cayenne

A large pinch of garlic salt

1/2 cup milk

1 tablespoon ketchup

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

Minced parsley for garnish

 

In a microwaveable serving bowl, mix together the cheese, cornstarch and dry seasonings. Stir in the milk, ketchup and mustard. Mix well. 

Ten minutes before serving, stir the mixture again, then microwave it for 1 minute. Stir the mixture and microwave for another minute. Stir and microwave another minute. Continue in this manner until the cheese sauce is hot and thickened. Stir and serve the sauce to spoon over steamed or roasted vegetables. Sprinkle, if desired, with minced parsley for garnish.

 

Steamed Broccoli or Cauliflower:

1 pound of broccoli crowns or small head of cauliflower

1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste

 

Separate the broccoli or cauliflower flowerets off the main stems, cutting the smaller stems where necessary. For bigger pieces cut through stems lengthwise up toward the tops and then tear the two sides apart (so the tops don’t get bits cut off). Aim for one-inch pieces, which may require splitting bigger pieces again. (See the photo for an example.)  Place vegetable pieces in a steamer basket, off the heat.

Bring several inches of water to a boil in a pot that the steamer basket will sit on top of. Just before putting the steamer basket over the boiling water, sprinkle the vegetable with the salt. Place steamer basket containing the vegetable over the rapidly boiling water and cover the pot.

Steam broccoli exactly 3 minutes, or cauliflower 5 minutes. Uncover and transfer the steamed vegetable into a shallow bowl or onto diners’ plates.

Spoon cheese sauce over the vegetable and, if desired, sprinkle with minced parsley for garnish. This is more needed and effective over cauliflower, but it  also looks good over the more colorful broccoli.