This Cauliflower Mac and Cheese with Bacon Lardons is bursting full of flavours and makes the perfect dinner night option from HelloFresh. Cook up a fresh start!
Boxes and ingredients are packed in facilities that handles Peanut, Nuts, Sesame, Fish, Crustaceans, Milk, Egg, Mustard, Celery, Soya, Gluten and Sulphites. Due to the war in Ukraine, it has been necessary to substitute sunflower oil with rapeseed oil in some products without a label change. The FSA have advised that allergic reactions to rapeseed oil are rare.
60
Mature Cheddar Cheese
(Contains Milk)
30
Crumbled Blue Cheese
(Contains Milk)
25
Panko Breadcrumbs
(Contains Cereals containing gluten)
300
Cauliflower Florets
180
Macaroni
(Contains Cereals containing gluten May contain Soya)
15
Vegetable Stock Paste
(Contains Celery)
150
Creme Fraiche
(Contains Milk)
100
Baby Spinach
15
Sriracha Sauce
90
British Smoked Bacon Lardons
2
Olive Oil for the Crumb
1.5
Oil for the Flour
250
Water for the Sauce
2
Plain Flour
Preheat your oven to 220°C/200°C fan/gas mark 7. Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil with 1/2 tsp salt for the pasta. Grate the Cheddar cheese. Put the blue cheese and panko breadcrumbs in a small bowl and season with saltand pepper. Stir in the olive oil for the crumb (see ingredients for amount), then set aside your blue cheese crumb for later.
Halve any larger cauliflower florets and pop them into a ovenproof dish. Drizzle with oil and season with salt and pepper, then toss to coat. Spread them out in a single layer. When the oven is hot, roast on the top shelf until golden brown and tender, 15-20 mins. Turn halfway through.
Meanwhile, when your pan of water is boiling, add the macaroni and bring back to the boil. Cook until tender, 12 mins. Once cooked, drain in a colander and pop back into the pan. Drizzle with oil and stir through to stop it sticking together
While the pasta cooks, heat the oil for the roux(see ingredients for amount) in a saucepan on medium high heat. When the oil is hot, stir in the flour (see ingredients for amount). Cook until it forms a paste, 1-2 mins - you've made a roux! Gradually stir in the waterfor the sauce (see ingredients for amount) and the vegetable stockpaste. Bring to the boil, stir and simmer until thickened, 1-2 mins. Stir in the creme fraiche, then remove from the heat.
Add the Cheddar cheese to the sauce and stir until melted. Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed. Return the pan to low heat and stir in the spinach a handful at a time until wilted and piping hot, 1-2 mins, then remove from the heat. Stir the roasted cauli and the cooked pasta through the sauce, then pour into the ovenproof dish. Turn your grill on to high.
Sprinkle the blue cheese crumb evenly over the top, then grill the mac and cheese on the top shelf of your oven until the crumb is golden, 3-5 mins. Serve your pasta in bowls with the sriracha drizzled over the top (careful, it's hot - add less if you don't like heat). Enjoy!
STEP 4 MOD: If you've added bacon to your recipe, in before you do the the step above, heat a frying pan on medium-high heat. Add a drizzle of oil and the bacon lardons and fry until golden brown, 3-4 mins. Add the oil for the flour (see ingredients for amount), then stir in the flour and continue with the step as instructed.