Cauliflower cheese - yay or nay?

[Bonheurdupasse]

Does anyone do cauliflower cheese as a side at Christmas? Or if not, would you consider it (eating it)?

For those who do it - are there any ways to fancy it up?
One fancy version on BBC good food had the cauliflower being roasted initially, rather than parboiled. Sounds like it would be lovely - but then all in all it would be an hour in the oven for it - wouldn't that dry it out? Especially if I did the first step the night before?

We’re having beef this year & cauliflower cheese goes very well with it I think. Probably using readymade to save time.

We often have cauliflower cheese on Christmas Eve along with gammon and jacket potatoes and peas.

Never on a dinner with gravy 😱

Yes yes and thrice yes! Extra cheesey!

A nay from me.

definitely not.

It is a vegetarian main course and having it as a side dish with anything is all wrong IMHO.

Definitely!

Nay and nay, it’s a crime against cauliflower to cover it in cheese sauce IMO!

I do a massive cauliflour cheese at Christmas. Good to heat up for boxing day too. I use the Jamie Oliver recipe and its always good.

I love it but it's a meal in itself so we have it separately (lots of mustard!) also to my mind it doesn't go with turkey but I wouldn't criticise anyone for having it!

Yes, I face a huge portion with pig <and not much else >

*Pigs in blankets

Thanks so much everyone!
@grapehyacinthisactuallyblue - and anyone else who roasts the cauliflower first rather than parboiling it - how long do you roast it for?
The BBC good food recipe said 30 mins before and then another 30 mins after putting the sauce on. That seems too long to me!
On the other hand I just looked up the James Martin method (I think) and he had less than 20 minutes...that seems too little?
Thank you - I do want to try roasting it...

You can make it special by grating over a bit of truffle, or truffle oil.

No thank you.

Yes it's not Christmas without it!

I don’t do it for Christmas dinner, too much else going on.
I don’t precook the cauliflower when I do make it either. Just put raw cauliflower in a dish and coat it in cheese sauce then bake 🤷🏻‍♀️

It’s not one of our household traditions. If it is for our guests I buy it readymade and grate some nutmeg and extra cheese on.
Like the suggestion of truffle oil will give that a try.