McCauliflower macaroni cheese

Maybe it’s genetic – my sons like cauliflower cheese and nursery style macaroni cheese almost as much as my husband does. This combines both dishes and uses crème fraîche rather than a roux sauce for ease and speed, hence the homage through a fast food name. The pasta serves as the ‘bite’ and of course much needed energy hit, with the cauliflower adding vitamins, flavour and thickening the sauce. For weaning age children I serve this with wedges of mild cheese to chew/throw on the floor.

INGREDIENTS

60g macaroni

60g cauliflower, chopped into 2 cm chunks

1 teaspoon groundnut or sunflower oil

10g butter

1/2 small onion, peeled and finely chopped

70g cheddar, grated

40g half-fat creme fraiche

ground black pepper, (optional)

METHOD

Cook the macaroni according to the packet instructions, and 4 minutes before the end of the cooking time add the cauliflower.

Meanwhile, heat the oil and butter in a large pan and fry the onion over a low heat, until just softened but not browned, about 4 minutes. Once the pasta and cauliflower are soft and cooked through, drain and set aside. Add the cheese and the crème fraîche to the pan of onions. Without turning the heat up, stir until all the cheese has melted. Add the drained pasta, cauliflower and a little black pepper to the sauce and stir until thoroughly coated. Serve either as it is or scattered with some chopped ham if you like.

IDEAS FOR CAULIFLOWER

Roast in the oven with a little oil then blitz with stock, cooked potato and a sautéed leek for a creamy textured soup and serve with a sprinkling of very finely chopped roasted hazelnuts for a posh starter. Or use steamed cauliflower in place of potatoes in a Spanish omelette for a less heavy alternative. Or it is delicious in almost any curry; it retains flavour in the tightly wound heads.

#normalmum #cauliflower #macaroni #cremefraiche