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clove, and bay leaf, and simmer gently for 10 minutes, whisking frequently. If the sauce becomes too thick, whisk in a little more milk. Finish the sauce by removing the onion, clove, and bay leaf, then add the pepper and nutmeg and salt to taste. Leave to cool slightly.
    Steam the cauliflower using either a steamer basket or a colander fitted inside a pan. Cooking time depends on how you like your cauliflower cooked—I like mine on the crunchy side, which takes about 15 minutes.
    Preheat the oven to 350°F.
    Stir the cheese into the warm sauce (save a little to sprinkle on top of the gratin), then mix the sauce with the cauliflower and spoon into individual baking dishes. * Sprinkle with the rest of the cheese followed by the hazelnuts and toast crumbs. Bake for 10 minutes, then pop under a hot broiler for a few minutes to get a golden, bubbling crust. Serve immediately.
    * Or bake in one large dish for 20 minutes, followed by about 5 minutes under the broiler.
    Preparation time: 30 minutes Cooking time: 30 minutes

Gratin de macaronis au fromage
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Mac ’n’ cheese

    My first job in Paris was taking care of two girls, Kami and Loïs. Cooking for French taste buds is daunting enough, and cooking for kids can be even harder, but this dish was a winner every time I made it. A great thing considering how easy it is to make, with ingredients that you’re most likely to have on hand in the kitchen.
    SERVES 4 AS A MAIN COURSE
    For the béchamel sauce: 2 tbsp butter • ¼ cup all-purpose flour • 2 cups milk, lukewarm • ¼ onion, skin removed • 1 clove • 1 bay leaf • a pinch of nutmeg • salt and white pepper
    â€¢ 10 oz (2½–3 cups) macaroni • 7 oz Gruyère, mature Comté, or Parmesan cheese, * grated
    TO MAKE THE BÉCHAMEL SAUCE: Melt the butter in a large pan over a medium heat. Add the flour and beat hard until you have a smooth paste. Take off the heat and leave to cool for 2 minutes, then gradually add the milk, whisking constantly. Place the pan back over a medium heat, add the onion, clove, and bay leaf, and simmer gently for 10 minutes, whisking frequently. If the sauce becomes too thick, whisk in a little more milk.
    Finish the sauce by removing the onion, clove, and bay leaf, then adding the nutmeg and seasoning with salt and white pepper (although black pepper is fine if you don’t mind the speckles). Leave to cool slightly.
    Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cook the pasta according to package instructions.
    Drain the pasta and tip into a large baking dish.
    Save a handful of cheese to sprinkle on the top at the end, then mix the rest into the warm sauce. ** Pour the sauce over the pasta and mix until the pasta is well coated. Sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top and bake for 20 minutes until bubbly and golden. Serve immediately.
*
Pourquoi? It’s important to use a strong-flavored cheese, as you will need less cheese to give the sauce a good flavor .
**
Make sure you add the cheese when the sauce is warm rather than hot. If the sauce is too hot, the fat will separate from the protein and form a layer on top .
    Preparation time: 15 minutes Cooking time: 35 minutes

Ratatouille
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Provençal vegetable stew

    How to make a ratatouille can be a touchy subject at dinner parties in France, with everyone claiming their recipe is the best. Some people prefer to cook each vegetable individually and mix everything together at the end, others prefer to throw it all in a pot, and then there are some who like to carefully arrange the vegetables and make a sort of gratin. At the end of the day it all depends whether you like your ratatouille soft and jammy or with a bit of bite.
    Of course, being someone who wants to have it all, I like my ratatouille to tick both boxes. Partially cooking the vegetables on top of the stove and then baking everything together in the oven gives you the best of both worlds—creamy soft onion and tomatoes, with