Fried Mac n' Cauliflower Cheese
Cheese fiend, that is how I would probably describe myself. What’s not to like?! From soft, creamy camembert to salty goats cheese and full flavoured cheddars; cheese is super versatile and can change the flavour of a dish in seconds.
Now, what dish do you first think of when you here the word cheese? For me, I instantly think of classic mac n’ cheese. Small pieces of al dente pasta, coated in rich, buttery béchamel sauce laced with lashings of grated cheddar and a crispy cheese topping; but wait, it gets better. Then take that mac n’ cheese, coat it in breadcrumbs and fry it into ooey, gooey morsels of deep fried, cheesy goodness (I am literally drooling just thinking about it..).
There is just one teeny problem, we can’t lie in saying it isn’t the best for you. That is where I have come up with the perfect solution! Still a treat, don’t get me wrong, but my health conscious version of deep fried mac n’ cheese uses wholesome, real ingredients, with all the perks of the naughty type.
In this recipe, I use Mainland’s Noble cheddar to flavour the sauce, which gets the seal of approval with 30% less fat than its sister, Edam. Mainland developed Noble for seven years, and was most definitely seven years well spent. It has the richest, most flavoursome taste I have found in a lower fat cheese, and is now my go to when I need a cheese fix!
Combine the flavour of Noble with some quinoa pasta and cauliflower in a rich sauce, coated in a crunchy quinoa and almond meal crust, I promise you this will tick all the right boxes.
Now, what dish do you first think of when you here the word cheese? For me, I instantly think of classic mac n’ cheese. Small pieces of al dente pasta, coated in rich, buttery béchamel sauce laced with lashings of grated cheddar and a crispy cheese topping; but wait, it gets better. Then take that mac n’ cheese, coat it in breadcrumbs and fry it into ooey, gooey morsels of deep fried, cheesy goodness (I am literally drooling just thinking about it..).
There is just one teeny problem, we can’t lie in saying it isn’t the best for you. That is where I have come up with the perfect solution! Still a treat, don’t get me wrong, but my health conscious version of deep fried mac n’ cheese uses wholesome, real ingredients, with all the perks of the naughty type.
In this recipe, I use Mainland’s Noble cheddar to flavour the sauce, which gets the seal of approval with 30% less fat than its sister, Edam. Mainland developed Noble for seven years, and was most definitely seven years well spent. It has the richest, most flavoursome taste I have found in a lower fat cheese, and is now my go to when I need a cheese fix!
Combine the flavour of Noble with some quinoa pasta and cauliflower in a rich sauce, coated in a crunchy quinoa and almond meal crust, I promise you this will tick all the right boxes.
You will need (makes 8-10):
|
1 cup quinoa
1 cup almond meal/ground almonds 1/2 onion 1 bay leaf 3 cups milk (nut, soy or dairy) 2tbsp coconut oil 1tbsp butter 3tbsp spelt flour |
half head of cauliflower, cut into small pieces
2 cups grated Mainland Noble cheddar 2 cups cooked pasta, wholegrain or quinoa extra spelt flour 1 egg s&p coconut oil, for frying |
Method:
- In a pot, cook the quinoa following the instructions on the packet. Once cooked, spread out onto a lined tray and dry out in the oven at 100c fan bake. Toss every 10 minutes until completely dried.
- Mix together with the almond meal, season and set to the side.
- In a small pot, combine the milk, onion and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer on a low to medium heat, then add your cauliflower and cook until tender.
- Remove your cauliflower from the milk, but make sure to keep the cooking liquid.
- In another pot, melt the coconut oil and butter on a low to medium heat. Once melted, add the flour and continuously whisk until a paste forms. While whisking, add the milk in small amounts until you have a thick and creamy sauce (the sauce will go really thick intially before thinning down).
- Once thick, stir in the grated cheese and season. Toss the sauce with the cooked cauliflower and pasta, then spread out into a lined baking dish; it should be around 6cm deep in thickness. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
- Cut the set pasta into rectangles, then toss in spelt flour. Dip in egg, then coat in the quinoa crust.
- Shallow fry the pieces in coconut oil, until golden and crisp on all sides. Serve with a salad, and enjoy!
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