Macaroni cheese (起司通心粉) with cauliflower and bacon

Macaroni pasta is from Italy but the dish macaroni cheese is of English origin, consisting of cooked macaroni pasta and a cheese sauce, most commonly cheddar. It is called mac and cheese in America and Canada. This dish is an all-time favourite with children. To make it healthier for the children and to get them to eat vegetables, I substitute one third of the pasta with cauliflower and add bacon to provide protein.

 Cauliflower (菜花) is a member of the cruciferous vegetable. along with broccoli, cabbage, kale and Brussels sprouts. It is an excellent source of vitamin C, K, B group, protein, potassium, magnesium and manganese. Cauliflower contains anticancer compounds called sulforaphane and it helps lubricate the intestines and strengthen the spleen. When buying cauliflower, look for heads that are white or creamy white, firm, compact, and heavy for their size. There should not be any speckling of discoloration on the head or leaves. Avoid cauliflower with brown patches.

Ingredients

 300 gm elbow pasta

½ of a medium-sized cauliflower

3 slices streaky bacon

Cheddar, parmesan and mozzarella cheese

(Use only half of each cheese blocks)

I like to use different cheeses to give it a varied cheese taste and flavour

Cut the cauliflower into florets and lightly blanch in salted boiling water.

Strain and leave aside.

Keep 2 mugs of the water to use in the sauce.

Add more hot water and cook the pasta until al dente

Grate half of each of the cheeses

Melt a large knob of butter in the saucepan over low fire

When the butter has melted, add 3 tbsp plain flour and mix thoroughly with the butter, stirring constantly

Add 250 ml milk a little at a time whilst stirring constantly to dissolve the lumps

Add the water used for blanching the cauliflower

I use the water to reduce the creaminess of the milk so that it is not so fattening plus the water contains vitamin C from the cauliflower

Keep on stirring until the sauce is smooth

Add half of the grated cheeses to the sauce and keep the balance for the topping

Stir until the cheese has completely melted

Add 2-3 bay leaves

Season with salt and ground black and white pepper

Most recipes say to pour the sauce over the macaroni but I prefer to put the macaroni into the sauce so that they are thoroughly coated with the sauce

Add the cauliflower and mix well

Fry the cut bacon until slightly brown and fragrant

Put the bacon into the mixture and mix thoroughly

Spoon the mixture into a heat proof dish

Sprinkle the remaining grated cheese on top

Sprinkle some red chilli powder on the top to give it a nice colour

Bake in the oven for 10 minutes or place under a grill to brown the cheese topping.

Remove from the oven and serve with a green salad