Stuffed cauliflower

Ingredients:

• 1 head of cauliflower (about 1 kg)
• 3 slices white country bread, toasted
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1/4 tbsp. grated parmesan
• 0.5 cup fresh parsley leaves
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
• 10 fresh sage leaves
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 1 large egg
• Half a vegetable bouillon cube
• Special equipment: a large pastry bag or a 4-liter zip-lock bag

Preparation:

1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 200°C (400°F). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil over high heat (the water should be very salty, even more so than sea water).
2. Carefully trim as much of the cauliflower stem as possible, without cutting off the florets. Remove all leaves, including the small inner leaves. Boil the cauliflower head until tender, 6-8 minutes. Do not overcook it, or it will fall apart. Carefully remove the head from the water and let it dry and cool.
3. Meanwhile, grease 2 slices of bread with 1 tablespoon of butter. Cut into 0.5 cm cubes (it's important that the cubes are small, otherwise they won't come out of the pastry bag) and transfer to a medium bowl.
4. Chop the remaining unbuttered bread and process in a food processor until fine crumbs form. Add 2 tablespoons of butter and Parmesan cheese and process until smooth. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside. Wipe out the food processor bowl.
5. In a food processor, combine the parsley, thyme, sage, celery, egg, bouillon cube, 2 tablespoons water, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and a few grinds of black pepper. Pulse until finely chopped and moistened. Add the vegetable mixture to the bread cubes and toss to distribute evenly. Transfer to a large pastry bag and snip a 2cm corner.
6. Turn the cauliflower stem-side up and begin spooning the filling between the florets until you've used about half the filling. Use your fingers to push the filling into the holes in the cauliflower.
7. Fill the remaining cauliflower with the remaining filling. Use all the filling, even if the cauliflower seems about to burst. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet, stem side down.
8. Brush the outside of the cauliflower with the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Spread the Parmesan and breadcrumb mixture evenly over the cauliflower.
9. Bake until the cauliflower is tender and easily pierced with a fork and the breadcrumbs are deep golden brown, 40-45 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes, then slice the cauliflower and season with salt to taste.