Written by Sydney food writer Leanne Kitchen, Cauliflower is King features 70 cauliflower-inspired recipes ranging from savoury dishes including pizza and pasta to sweet treats such as brownies.

Kitchen says cheeses such as a tasty cheddar or feta work just as well as gorgonzola in this recipe.

Cauliflower Blue Cheese Scones

Recipe from Cauliflower is King by Leanne Kitchen, published by Murdoch Books, RRP $19.99.

Makes 10

Ingredients

20 small–medium cauliflower florets
370g wholemeal (whole-wheat) flour
5 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
50g unsalted butter, chopped
200g gorgonzola cheese, chopped
2½ tablespoons finely chopped chives
300 mL buttermilk, approximately

Method

Preheat the oven to 220C. Line a baking tray with baking paper.

Steam the cauliflower over boiling water for 2 to 3 minutes or until the cauliflower is semi-cooked.

Stir together the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Using your fingertips, rub in the butter until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs, then rub in half the gorgonzola.

Stir in the chives, add the buttermilk and then, working quickly, stir with a flat-bladed knife to form a coarse, sticky dough. Add a little extra buttermilk if the mixture is too dry.

Turn out onto a floured board and, using your hands, lightly knead until the dough just comes together – take care not to overwork or the scones will be tough. Using your hands, pat out to a rough 20 x 15 cm rectangle, using a large knife to push the edges square. Cut out rounds with a 6.5 cm cutter. Press together any scraps, re-roll and cut out more rounds – you should have 10.

Press the remaining cheese gently into the scone tops. Press the cauliflower florets into the tops, stems down, then transfer to the baking tray.

Bake for 15 minutes or until risen, golden and cooked through. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Scones are best served on the day they are made.