Broccoli Cauliflower Cheese & Chilli Lime Buttered Corn
Two recipes in one. First off there’s a zingy chill lime buttered corn on the cob. Perfect for a tasty starter or side dish. Then there’s broccoli cauliflower cheese. Who can resist? Use frozen vegetables for a quick and nutritious meal or fresh for a particularly tasty one.
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When I was challenged by Iceland to make a two course meal for under £10, I went one better and created a three course offering instead. Broccoli cauliflower cheese was the main event. This was served with sweet potato fries for colour, contrast and carbs.
We started with colourful corn on the cob smothered with zesty chilli lime butter and we finished with a very indulgent chocolate ice-cream. National Vegetarian Week seems like a very good time to showcase it all.
The Power of Frozen
My aim was to make a filling, healthy and tasty meal for four people for under £10. As there were only two of us, we had half on the night I made it and the rest the following night. The broccoli cauliflower cheese reheated in the oven perfectly and there were plenty of sweet potato fries to accompany it. The sweetcorn was so good, we rather greedily ate it all the first night, but to make up for this, the ice cream lasted us three nights.
Of course, the majority of the meal was frozen food. Frozen food is a great way of preserving the nutrients in food as well as providing us with out of season ingredients that haven’t necessarily been grown on the other side of the world – the #PowerofFrozen.
As I stated in my last Iceland post, I was pleasantly surprised to see the range of vegetables on offer when I visited our nearest shop. This time there was no kale, but there were bags of broccoli, corn on the cob and brussels sprouts, cauliflower and mixed broccoli and cauliflower. As you’ve already noted, I decided to go for the latter.
Value for money is a key concept for Iceland and I was astonished once again at just how many good quality items can be bought for £10. As well as the frozen veg, I bought a block of cheddar cheese and some good Irish butter.
Three Course Meal for Four for Less Than £10
The most expensive part of the meal was the Ben & Jerry’s chocolate fudge brownie ice cream. CT and I are both suckers for Ben & Jerry’s and a bit of luxury at the end of a meal is no bad thing. The tub I bought had a bonus 50% extra, hence managing to stretch it out over three nights.
The only additions I had to provide was a little flour, some milk, spice and a lime. This was easily made up for by the cheese, butter and ice cream left over from making my broccoli cauliflower cheese. I calculated the cost of the meal to be £7.36 plus 64p for the extras making a grand total of £8. Even if you went wild and ate all of the ice-cream, it still comes in under the £10 limit.
- Mini corn cobs (625g) – £1
- Broccoli and cauliflower florets (900g) – £1
- Sweet potato fries (700g) – £2
- Mature cheddar cheese (450g) – £2 (of which we used 100g = 45p)
- Irish butter (250g) – £1.25 (of which we used 50g = 25p)
- Ben & Jerry’s ice-cream – £4 (of which we used ⅔ = £2.66)
Broccoli Cauliflower Cheese
As all of the vegetables were ready prepared, it made for a quick and easy meal as well as a delicious one. Always a bonus on a week night.
The only things I had to make were the cheese sauce and the chilli lime butter, neither of which took very long. The corn was sweet and luscious and the chilli lime butter made a fabulous zesty and punchy contrast.
We found the leftover butter was very nice spread on toast the next day. The broccoli cauliflower cheese with my addition of smoked paprika made a nice change from a plain old cauliflower cheese and it went very nicely with the sweet potato fries. The ice cream speaks for itself.
As an alternative to the cheese sauce used in this recipe, why not try my easy blue cheese sauce instead? It ramps up the flavours if you like them bold. You could also try my chilli, lime and coriander butter instead of the one I’ve given here.
Can You Use Fresh Veg Instead of Frozen?
You can of course, use fresh ingredients instead of frozen. Just boil some cauliflower and broccoli florets lightly in a little salted water. Five minutes should do the trick. There’s no need to put them in the oven before adding the cheese sauce as you do for the frozen florets though.
As for the corn cobs, the recipe is just the same, except you may need to peel the husks off of the corn first.
Keep in Touch
Thanks for visiting Tin and Thyme. If you make this broccoli cauliflower cheese or the lime buttered corn, I’d love to hear about it in the comments below. And do please rate the recipe. Have you any top tips? Do share photos on social media too and use the hashtag #tinandthyme, so I can spot them.
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Choclette x
Broccoli Cauliflower Cheese. PIN IT.
Broccoli Cauliflower Cheese and Chilli Lime Buttered Corn on the Cob
Equipment
Ingredients
Broccoli Cauliflower Cheese
- 900 g broccoli and cauliflower florets
- 25 g salted butter
- 2 tbsp wholemeal flour (whole wheat)
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 600 ml milk
- 100 g mature cheddar cheese grated
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
- sea salt (optional)
Chilli Lime Buttered Corn on the Cob
- 650 g corn on the cob in chunks
- 25 g salted butter
- ½ red chilli seeds removed & finely chopped
- ½ lime
Instructions
Broccoli Cauliflower Cheese
- Set the oven to 200℃ (400℉, Gas 6).
- Butter the bottom and sides of medium sized baking dish.
- Throw in the florets and bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes until they're starting to soften.
- Meanwhile make the cheese sauce.
- Melt the butter in a pan over medium heat and add the smoked paprika and wholemeal flour (you may want to sieve out the larger pieces of bran). Stir and let the mixture bubble for a minute or two. Whisk in the milk, a little at a time to avoid getting any lumps.
- Allow the sauce to simmer for a couple of minutes, stirring all the time.
- Take off the heat and add 75g of the cheese along with the pepper. Stir until smooth. If you feel you need to add salt, this is the time to do it.
- Pour the sauce over the florets and scatter the remaining cheese over the top.
- Return to the oven and bake for a further 20 minutes or until the florets are tender, the sauce is bubbling and the top is golden.
- Whilst the broccoli cauliflower cheese is in the oven, prepare and eat the corn on the cob starter.
Chilli Lime Buttered Corn on the Cob
- Bring 600ml water to the boil in a large pan. Throw in the frozen corn, cover and simmer for about 10 minutes or until the corn is just done.
- Meanwhile cream the butter so it’s nice and soft.
- Finely zest the lime and beat this in with a squeeze of the juice and the red chilli. A microplane is really useful for zesting citrus.
- Drain the corn, place in a serving dish and add as much of the butter as liked.
Notes
Nutrition Estimate
Sharing
This broccoli cauliflower cheese goes to Jac at Tinned Tomatoes for Meat Free Mondays.
Other Vegetarian #PowerofFrozen Recipes You Might Like
- Easy Mediterranean Tart via Tinned Tomatoes
- Sweet potato cakes with pea purée via Veggie Desserts
- The ultimate lazzie veggie lasagne via The Veg Space
- Vegetables in Tao Pan sauce via Simply Food
I was commissioned by Iceland to create a two course meal using some of their products. I was not expected to write a positive review and all opinions are, as always, my own.
I LOVE how convenient and handy frozen food can be. The cauliflower and broccoli cheese sounds delicious, but you got me with the chili lime buttered corn on the cob, I could eat it for the whole summer!
Yes, it can make life an awful lot easier. Reckon I could eat that chilli lime buttered corn every day too – it’s gorgeous.
I haven’t had broccoli and cauliflower cheese in too long – using frozen veg will make it so much easier.
It certainly speeds up the process. It’s one of my favourite comfort foods – well cauliflower cheese is anyway. This was the first time I’ve done it with broccoli too.
I think you have caught me at a particularly hungry moment because all I can think of now is cauliflower cheese…. I am drooling. Making notes for next grocery shopping list!
Never a good idea to look at food blogs when you’re hungry – a mistake I make far too often 😉
Inspired menu lady! Must give the chilli lime butter corn on the cob a go! There’s really no improving on chocolate fudge brownie Ben and Jerry’s either – best ice cream ever!
Thanks Kerry. I’ve become a bit addicted to the chilli lime butter. As for the B&J ice-cream …
I’m very impressed that you came so far under budget and still managed a 3 course meal! The broccoli cauliflower cheese sounds so delicious!
Thanks Grace. I was quite surprised at just how much I could buy at Iceland for £10.
I don’t know how I’d manage without my freezer. Its stuffed full with fab goodies from Iceland at the moment including those sweet potato fries.
Those sweet potato fries are rather addictive Claire!
I need another bag of that broccoli cauli mix, it’s wonderful! Love how you’ve done it, really cheesy!
Thanks Sarah. I love my fresh veg, but having things like frozen broccoli and cauliflower florets on standby is a real boon.
Ooh the broccoli and cauliflower cheese looks brilliant, love that you used frozen veg too – so easy 🙂
Frozen veg just makes everything so easy and sometimes that is just what’s needed.
One of my favourite dishes and so great that it can be made with Iceland ingredients for a great short cut;-)
Yes indeed Camilla. I never dreamt you could get frozen broccoli nor frozen cauliflower until I came across it in Iceland.
Everything looks so delicious and healthy as well. I love esp. that cheesy cauliflower/broccoli bake!
Cauliflower cheese is a standard comfort meal in our house Anglie, but I’ve never made it with broccoli too, before now!
LOVE frozen veggies for quick meals. That corn with the chile butter sounds delicious!
Frozen veg sure makes for a quick meal Jenn and that corn was really delicious 🙂
Oh my goodness. This looks so unbelievably delicious! What a bonus that it’s easy to prepare and is cost-effective! I may have to try and veganise this because I have a craving for it now…
I keep meaning to try making a vegan cheese sauce, but like many things, I haven’t got around to it – yet!
This sounds great! I am such a boring broccoli eater and usually just have it steamed or sauteed. I need to get some cheese up in my broccoli business! 🙂
It’s so easy to get into rut with the food we make. I must confess, this is something we eat on a semi-regular basis.
I am in the States so when I first saw Iceland I thought you meant the country, LOL But what a great idea and my whole family would LOVE this meal. I’m not sure what the dollar to pound conversion rate is but this seems like a fantastic deal!
Haha Jill, but I guess there must be quite a lot of frozen food in Iceland the country too 😉
Frozen foods are a great way to add out of season ingredients to a meal. And this casserole looks both tasty and filling.
I’ve only recently woken up to the fact you could get so many different frozen vegetables, it’s been a bit of a revelation.
What a lovely spread, you have indeed created a mini feast on a tight budget.Well done. I love the fact that Iceland stuff is so good value for money.
It’s not often we have a two course meal during the week, never mind a three course one, so this was a real treat. And you’re right Iceland is good value for money.
This all looks delicious! I eat mostly vegetarian, and I love how far I can stretch my dollar compared to meaty meals! And well, who doesn’t love Ben and Jerrys lol
I guess, not being a meat eater, I don’t really know how much meat costs, but cauliflower cheese has always been a good and healthy, but cheap meal.
Oh my, I want to come to this dinner party! So many of my favourite things – broccoli & cauliflower in a cheesy sauce, chilli lime sweetcorn, sweet potato fries, chocolate ice cream – frozen food heaven!
Haha Kate, a very good way of describing it 🙂
You just used all of my favourite ingredients to make a wonderful dish! I love the idea and will be trying this soon! 🙂
Cauliflower cheese is a favourite I grew up with Diana and the chilli and lime with the corn makes for a great combination.
Sounds delicious! Glad GWR didn’t manage to derail your meal. Like the idea of smoked paprika in cheese sauce and will look out for the sweet potato chips.
Ha! I had to cook it all up as soon as we got home as it had all pretty much defrosted. But of course I never did get around to complaining properly to GWR! Sorry to have been such a grump. I’ve got a thing for smoked paprika at the moment, it’s going into all sorts of things.
This is my kind of food! Especially casserole with broccoli 🙂 delicious and satisfying!
Yep, I’m with you there Klauss, it’s one of my all time favourites.
What a great challenge — and you certainly lived up to it! What a delicious meal you’ve created. YUM!
Thanks Valentina. We really enjoyed it, both nights running 😉
I really must get down to my local Iceland and see what they have, love the sound of both of your veggie dishes which are packed with flavour (and the ice cream too!)
Ah well yes, it’s hard to say no to good ice cream 😉 Iceland is definitely worth a look. I suspect you might get a lot more choice up there in Surrey.
I love how convenient frozen food can be. I really must try the lime on the sweetcorn and the broccoli cauliflower cheese sounds divine – especially with the paprika!
Thanks Kate. Frozen food can be amazingly convenient Kate – as long as you can get it into the freezer 😉