Broccoli and chorizo mac and cheese pots by Katie Bryson.
Pure comfort food, these little pots of macaroni cheese have added broccoli to up your veggie intake and a luxurious crispy chorizo and polenta topping. It's a generous recipe so eat one round and freeze the rest for a day when you've got no time but want a filling meal in minutes.
The chorizo is optional, so leave it out if you're catering for vegetarians. If you don't think your kids will eat it, use bacon or ham instead for a milder flavour.
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time:30 minutes
Ingredients:
350g macaroni
1 head of broccoli, broken into tiny florets
50g butter
50g plain flour
600ml milk
1 tsp wholegrain mustard
175g mature cheddar, cubed
For the topping:
30g sliced chorizo, finely chopped
100g cheddar, grated
50g polenta
Instructions:
1. Cook the macaroni in a large pan of boiling water according to the packet instructions. Add the broccoli in the last 2 minutes of cooking. Drain and set aside.
2. Meanwhile make the cheese sauce by melting the butter in a saucepan, stir in the flour making a paste and cooking for a minute, before gradually adding the milk and whisking until smooth. Keep stirring until the sauce thickens, then remove from the heat once bubbling and stir through the wholegrain mustard and cubes of cheese until melted.
3. Pre-heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Pour the cheese sauce into the pasta and broccoli and mix until combined. Spoon into 8 small pie dishes.
4. For the topping: in a bowl mix the chopped chorizo, cheddar and polenta, then scatter a layer over each pot of macaroni cheese.
5. Pop the dishes on a couple of baking trays and bake in the oven for 15 minutes until golden and bubbling. Serve with a large green salad.
Cook's tip: Make in advance and have them in the fridge ready to cook when you get home from work. Just increase the oven cooking time to 30 minutes.
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