Day 4. Cauliflower & Macaroni Cheese

On Day four I wanted to make an Evening meal that we could all enjoy so it needed to be meat free and low in salt yet still satisfying and tasty. I went with a recipe from Jamie Olivers 30 minute meal book and it really delivered on taste.

Both of the kids loved this. Pip had me promise I would make it again in the future. So that's certainly a thumbs up from him.

If you would like to make this recipe you will need

Ingredients:

A head of Cauliflower.

500g Macaroni pasta.

250g Creme fraiche.

250g mature cheddar cheese. (Grated)

4 slices of bread. (I used wholegrain)

A small pack of pancetta or smoked bacon lardons.

A few sprigs of fresh rosemary.

.To start, fill and boil your kettle. Turn the oven on to 220øC/Gas mark 7.

.Lay the pancetta on a roasting tray (approx 30x25cm or large enough to bake the pasta in) and put on the top shelf of the oven.

.Trim and quarter the Cauliflower. Put in a large saucepan core down. Pour the pasta on top and cover with boiling water. Put on a high heat. (fill and reboil the kettle to cover the cauliflower and pasta if needed) season with a good pinch of salt and drizzle over a little olive oil. Stir and cook according to pasta packet instructions with the lid slightly askew.

. Take pancetta out of the oven.

.Blitz the bread, garlic, pancetta and rosemary leaves in a food processor with a good drizzle of olive oil until you have a course breadcrumb consistency. I left the pancetta out first time removed enough for the vege version. Then reblitzed with the pancetta.

.When the pasta and Cauliflower are tender. Put the colandor over a large bowl to catch the pasta water then drain the pasta and cauliflower. Tip into the roasting tray you cooked the pancetta in breaking up the cauliflower into florets as you do. (I used a small oven dish for the vege version)

. Save 400ml of the hot pasta water in the large bowl. Then stir in the creme fraiche. Crush in 2 garlic cloves. Mix until creme fraiche incorporates. Stir in the grated cheese. The sauce should be nice and loose if not mix in more pasta water. Pour over the pasta and stir in.

. Spread the breadcrumbs evenly across the top and put on the top shelf of the hot oven for 10 mins or until hot and bubbly.

Serve with salad and enjoy.

This really was super delicious and will definitely make a return visit to our table. While we ate we talked about Halloween and the upcoming festivities. We are huge fans of halloween here. Maybe because I was a goth in my youth and ever so slightly obsessed with Tim Burton movies and all things macabre. Also it's part of our Irish heritage since we actually invented Halloween.

Bon Appetit xx.