Valentines In: Rarebit Mac n Cheese
No one needs anything else to stress about this year, let alone a stress caused by the prospect of cooking for your lockdown lover.
Let's be honest, for most of us, staying in and taking time to prepare a meal for that special someone, is no longer much of a novelty. It's been a sourdough sort of year, where even the most begrudging of home cooks have found themselves finishing work at 5.31pm, walking three paces into the kitchen and happily spending 3 further hours preparing a masterpiece of a weeknight dinner, grateful for any sort of scheduled evening activity.
Over that yet? Yeah, me too. So after a year of experimental cookery, I am suggesting a return to the basics. Whether you are your own best-friend this Valentine's day, or are lucky enough to be spending the evening with your special someone (be that your partner, your mum, or a kick-ass flat mate), instead of spending a fortune on a prime cut of steak, or five individual scallops, show you really care with this hedonists dream of a recipe. This rarebit mac n' cheese, is as oozy as it is delicious. It is an honest display of love on a plate – comfort food at it’s finest, with the help of some serious cheese and truffle action, it's hard not to be.
Serve with a simple side salad of crunchy red chicory, rocket, radish and capers. Toss it all together and drizzle with a lemon vinaigrette, if you're feeling fancy.
Rarebit Mac n cheese - Serves 4
2 large brown onions, finely sliced
250g wild mushrooms (portobello or chestnut will also work), roughly torn or sliced
300g macaroni pasta (or any small pasta shape)
75g butter
75g flour
450ml full-fat milk
200ml ale
10g Dijon mustard
100g gouda, plus 50g for topping (mature cheddar would do), grated
1-2tsp Worcester sauce
1/2 tsp salt
Truffle Oil (optional)
1
Preheat your oven to 250 degrees.
2
Add a good drizzle of oil to a medium sized saucepan and place over a low-medium heat. Once hot, add the sliced onions. Season with a pinch of salt and stir well to coat in the oil. Slowly cook, stirring regularly, until the onion is golden, soft and sticky. This should take around 20 - 25 mins. Don't be impatient with this step - the slower and stickier the better!
2
In the meantime, cook your pasta of choice in well salted water according to packet instructions. I tend to do one less minute than the recommended amount - the worst macaroni cheese, is squishy macaroni cheese! So keep it al dente.
3
While your pasta cooks, add a splash of oil to the frying pan and place over a high heat. Once hot, fry the mushrooms with a pinch of salt, until nicely golden. Remove from the heat and set to one side.
4
Once your onions are done, stir the butter into the saucepan. Once melted and starting to foam, mix in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Slowly stir in the beer, followed by the milk, a little at a time. Make sure to mix well between each addition of liquid to avoid lumps! Once it has all been incorporated, bring the sauce to the boil, stirring continuously. Allow to bubble away for a couple more minutes until thick and glossy, then remove from the heat.
5
Mix in the salt, Worcester sauce, mustard and grated cheese (remembering to leave some for the top!). Stir until thoroughly combined.
6
Next, return the pasta to the saucepan and mix in the mushrooms and cheese sauce to coat. Transfer to an oven proof dish, sprinkle over the remaining gouda, then bake in the oven for 20-25 mins, until the cheese is golden brown and bubbling.
7
Remove from the oven and finish with a drizzle of truffle oil. Enjoy!
Written by Jesse Kempner
Jesse is a professional Leiths-trained chef, with a particular flare
for cooking delicious and seasonal, vegetarian meals. When not in the
kitchen, you might find her writing a vegetarian cookbook, training
for a half marathon, or watching David Attenenborough documentaries