A more virtuous take on the comfort-eating classic.

I’m a sucker for pasta and creamy sauces but being a lover a veg I find that the thought of serving a traditional mac and cheese for dinner just doesn’t quite stack up. And so this green mac and cheese was born. I have lots of kale in my garden and I love incorporating it into anything and everything. Bursting with nutrients, kale makes me feel virtuous whenever I eat it. The recipe also includes broccoli, currently in season, and frozen peas. Caramelised onions add depth and sweetness to the dish and crunchy breadcrumbs drizzled with olive oil are the cherry on the top. Enjoy on its own or as a side dish with the addition of some protein (fish, chicken, sausages) and a crisp green salad.

GREEN MAC AND CHEESE

Serves 6-8

• 3 tablespoons olive oil + extra for over breadcrumbs
• 2 onions, quartered, finely chopped
• 100g kale leaves, finely shredded
• 1 large sprig rosemary, finely chopped
• 250g broccoli, finely chopped (stalks included)
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 300g macaroni, cooked as per packet instructions (penne and fusilli would work too)
• 50g butter
• 4 tablespoons flour
• 2 ½ cups milk
• 200g cheese, grated (I used a combination of parmesan and tasty but edam and colby work also)
• 1 cup breadcrumbs

Pre-heat the oven to 180°C. In a heavy-bottomed frying pan over a medium-high heat heat the olive oil then add the add the onions and fry until beginning to caramelise. Add the kale and the rosemary and continue frying until the onions have fully caramelised. This will take 20 minutes or so in total from the time the onions go into the pan. Remove from the heat.

Heat a large pot of generously salted water and put the broccoli and peas into a steamer. Once the water is boiling steam the veg for 3 minutes or until just cooked through. Add the pasta to the pot and boil until it’s just cooked, then drain well and add it to the pan along with the veg and onion mixture.

Melt the butter in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan, add the flour and cook using a whisk for a minute or so. Slowly add the milk to the butter/flour mixture, whisking continuously to avoid lumps. Once all the milk has been added, season well with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper and cook gently until thickened. This will take 4 or 5 minutes. Stir in a handful of the cheese, remove from the heat and add the pasta and the veg. Mix well and season again with sea salt if needed. Spoon out into an oven-proof dish. Sprinkle over the remaining cheese, followed by the bread crumbs. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil and bake for 25 minutes or until golden and bubbling. Serve immediately.