Name: Vegetarian macaroni and cheese
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Bake
Ingredients: 500 macaroni cooked; 15 ml fresh chillies 573; 1 butternut peeled, cubed; 10 ml fresh chillies 573; 2 onion medium, sliced; 5 ml sugar; 150 g butter or olive oil; 150 ml flour cake; 1 1/2 l milk; 60 ml blue cheese crumbled; 125 ml parmesan cheese grated; salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

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Ingredients (12)

500

macaroni — cooked

Roasted butternut:

15 ml	fresh chillies — 573
1	butternut — peeled, cubed

Caramelised onions:

10 ml	fresh chillies — 573
2	onion — medium, sliced
5 ml	sugar

Cheese sauce:

150 g	butter — or olive oil
150 ml	flour — cake
1 1/2 l	milk
60 ml	blue cheese — crumbled
125 ml	parmesan cheese — grated
	salt and freshly ground black pepper — to taste

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Method:

Preheat the oven to 200°C.
Coat the butternut cubes with some olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
Roast for 25 minutes or until golden and crispy.
For the onions, heat the oil in a small pot and gently sauté the onions and sugar until soft and browned (about 10 minutes).
Meanwhile, prepare the cheese sauce – melt the butter in a medium to large pot over moderate heat, add the flour and whisk vigorously over the heat for a few seconds before slowly adding the milk.
Continue to whisk until thickened, and then remove from the heat and stir in the blue cheese and half of the cheddar.
Season well with salt and pepper.
Add the cooked pasta, roasted butternut and caramelised onions to the sauce pot and mix until well combined.
Pour mixture into a greased oven proof dish.
Sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
Pop into the oven for 20 minutes or until the top is golden and bubbling.
Serve immediately with a salad of crisp cos lettuce, slices of pear and shavings of pecorino.

Reprinted with permission of Bits of Carey.
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