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Vege mac

Name: Vege mac
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 1 Ltr Whole milk (Main); 2 Onions, 1 small one peeled and studded with 5 cloves to flavour bechamel, the second onion finely chopped; 1 tsp Black peppercorns; 2 Bay leaves, use up to 3, fresh; 70 g Butter; ⅓ cup Flour; 2 tsp Mustard powder; 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce; ½ tsp Cayenne pepper, or to taste; 3 cloves Crushed garlic; 1 small Green chilli, minced, optional; 1 large handful Sliced mushrooms, ensure they are finely sliced; 1 splash White wine, a generous one; 1 Bunch of Kale, stemmed and shredded, or use a bag of baby kale or spinach (Main); ½ cup Cheddar cheese, grated (Main); ½ cup Grated swiss cheese, or use edam (Main); ½ cup Blue cheese, crumbled, plus extra for topping (Main); 1 splash Cream, a generous pour; 4 cups Macaroni, cooked (Main); 1 handful Chopped fresh herbs

for 6 people

Tam West

Warren Elwin

Food writer

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Ingredients

1 Ltr	Whole milk (Main)
2	Onions, 1 small one peeled and studded with 5 cloves to flavour bechamel, the second onion finely chopped
1 tsp	Black peppercorns
2	Bay leaves, use up to 3, fresh
70 g	Butter
⅓ cup	Flour
2 tsp	Mustard powder
1 tsp	Worcestershire sauce
½ tsp	Cayenne pepper, or to taste
3 cloves	Crushed garlic
1 small	Green chilli, minced, optional
1 large handful	Sliced mushrooms, ensure they are finely sliced
1 splash	White wine, a generous one
1	Bunch of Kale, stemmed and shredded, or use a bag of baby kale or spinach (Main)
½ cup	Cheddar cheese, grated (Main)
½ cup	Grated swiss cheese, or use edam (Main)
½ cup	Blue cheese, crumbled, plus extra for topping (Main)
1 splash	Cream, a generous pour
4 cups	Macaroni, cooked (Main)
1 handful	Chopped fresh herbs

Directions

Preheat oven to 200C.
For the bechamel sauce, into a pot put the milk, clove-studded onion, the peppercorns and bayleaves. Heat until just scalded (hot, not boiling).
In a large heavy based saucepan, melt the butter until foaming. Whisk in the flour until smooth, then stir with a wooden spoon to cook out the roux, about 3 minutes.
In stages, strain and whisk in the milk until smooth and just boiling. Reduce to a simmer, then stir until sauce thickens (to the consistency of pouring custard, approx. 7-10 minutes).
Whisk in mustard powder, Worcestershire sauce and cayenne pepper (to taste), then rest sauce for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, gently fry the finely chopped onion, the garlic, chilli if using and the mushrooms, until soft. Deglaze pan with a good pour of white wine, add the stemmed, shredded kale or bag of baby kale or spinach and cook until the greens have wilted and any liquid has evaporated. Set aside.
To the cooked bechamel, add the grated cheddar, Swiss (or edam) and blue cheese. Add a good pour of fresh cream and reheat gently, stirring until cheese has melted.
Add the cooked macaroni and the vege mix, a handful of chopped herbs, and stir to combine. Season. Transfer mix to a large baking dish, top with a little blue cheese and bake until just bubbling.