Mac ’n’ cheese with ham and pickled onions
- Preparation and cooking time
- Total time
- Easy
- Serves 4-6
Ingredients
- 200g macaroni
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 leeks, white and very pale green parts only, washed and finely chopped
- 2 tbsp plain flour
- 500ml whole milk
- 3 tsp Dijon mustard
- 100g emmental, grated
- 100g mature cheddar, grated
- 50g blue cheese, crumbled
- 150g cooked ham, chopped
- diced to make 2 tbsp pickled onions
- diced to make 2 tbsp cornichons
GARLIC BREAD TOPPING
- 3 slices (about 30g) day-old bread
- ½ a clove garlic, crushed
- 2 tbsp butter, melted
- 30g parmesan, grated
Method
- STEP 1
Cook the macaroni until al dente, then drain, rinse under cold water and drain again.
- STEP 2
Melt the butter in a pan and fry the leeks for 7-10 minutes or until really soft. Stir in the flour and cook for 3-4 minutes or until well combined. Gradually stir in the milk, then 2 tsp of the mustard. Stir in the cheeses until melted, then tip in the macaroni and mix well.
- STEP 3
In a bowl, mix together the chopped ham, pickled onions and cornichons with the remaining dijon mustard.
- STEP 4
Whizz the bread in a food processor into rough breadcrumbs then toss with the remaining garlic bread topping ingredients.
- STEP 5
Heat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Pour 1/2 the macaroni mixture into an ovenproof baking dish. Spoon over the ham mix followed by the remaining mac. Scatter over the garlic bread topping and bake for 30 minutes until golden and bubbling.
