It’s not often the stars align when you’re developing a recipe. Especially when working on magazines, you’re creating recipes six months in advance; hearty stews in the middle of summer and light salads in winter. But when I was asked to develop this recipe for a cauliflower cheese cob it coincided with family coming around for a barbecue. Putting garlic butter in the cob meant I had instant garlic bread, and the filling became a perfect cheesy side to the grilled steaks and bangers. Although this cauliflower cheese cob worked beautifully as a side dish, it also makes a perfect vegetarian main meal. Truly a great crowd pleaser.

• 600g cauliflower, trimmed, cut into florets
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 50g butter
• 1 leek, trimmed, thinly sliced
• 50g (1/3 cup) plain flour
• 500ml (2 cups) milk
• 155g (1 1/2 cups) pre-grated 4 cheese blend
• 1 large cob loaf
• 50g bought garlic butter, melted
• Fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, to serve

• Step 1
  Preheat oven to 200C/180C fan forced. Place the cauliflower on a baking tray. Drizzle with the oil. Season with salt. Roast, stirring halfway through cooking, for 20 minutes or until lightly golden.
• Step 2
  Meanwhile, heat the butter in a saucepan over medium heat until foaming. Add the leek and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until softened. Add the flour and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until the mixture bubbles. Remove from heat. Gradually add the milk, stirring constantly, until smooth. Place the pan over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until the sauce boils and thickens. Add two-thirds of the cheese and remove from heat. Stir until smooth.
• Step 3
  Add the cauliflower to the cheese sauce. Stir until well coated. Season. Set aside.
• Step 4
  Line a baking tray with baking paper. Use a serrated knife to slice about 3cm from the top of the cob. Scoop out the bread inside, leaving a 2cm-thick shell (reserve inside bread for another use, see notes). Cut the lid into wedges. Place cob and the wedges on the prepared tray. Brush the inside of the cob with the melted garlic butter. Spray the wedges with oil. Bake for 10 minutes or until the bread is lightly golden.