Broccoli in cheese sauce aka Broccoli and cheese

Broccoli in cheese sauce

Ingredients
2 heads of fresh broccoli

4 Tablespoons butter

1/4 cup flour

1 1/4 cups broccoli water (reserves from boiling broccoli)

1 1/2 cups heavy cream or more as needed

1 pound yellow American cheese

Pinch of freshly ground nutmeg

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Directions

Rinse broccoli, cut stems and tops into bite size pieces. Boil until tender, drain but be sure to reserve about 2 cups of the water to use as needed in the sauce.

Before making the roux measure out the broccoli water and cream. Heat the cream before adding it to the sauce or it will slow down cooking.

Make the roux by melting the butter in a heated saucepan. add the flour, whisk continuously for one full minute. I usually cook the roux for 1 1/2 - 2 mins. You want it to stay buttery yellow, if it gets golden brown it takes on a different flavor.

Add the broccoli water to the pan, whisking constantly. It will thicken up very quickly. Keep whisking in cream until it reaches the desired thickness / consistency.

Add layers of cheese, about 6 slices at a time. Whisking them in to the sauce until melted, then repeat the cheese layers until all the cheese has been melted in.

Season with nutmeg and add salt and pepper, to taste.

Serve immediately or refrigerate overnight.