Deviled Cauliflower Recipe (Mustard Béchamel)

Cut the cauliflower into florets and rinse well. Bring a pot of water to a boil, add the florets, and cook just until tender-crisp. Drain and let the steam escape for a couple minutes.

Gently warm the milk in a small pan. Add the bay leaf and let it infuse on low heat for about 5 minutes, then remove the bay leaf.

Melt the butter in a saucepan. Stir in the flour and cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring constantly, until it smells lightly toasty but doesn’t brown.

Whisk in the warm milk a little at a time until smooth. Keep stirring until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, then add the nutmeg.

Whisk in the Dijon-style mustard and Worcestershire-style sauce. If it gets too thick, loosen it with a splash of milk. (Optional: adjust with a small pinch of salt and pepper.)

Place the drained cauliflower in a baking dish. Pour the sauce over and gently toss to coat. Bake in a preheated oven until the top is lightly colored, then rest 2–3 minutes and serve.