KIMCHI MAC’N CHEESE WITH CUCUMBER SALAD

A spicy twist on the classic Kiwi Mac'n Cheese, packed with plenty of flavour.

SERVES 3
From My Food Bag 09/07/17
Recipe by Nadia Lim
Photography by Sarah Palmer

INGREDIENTS FOR MAC ’N CHEESE
200g dried macaroni pasta
1 ½ tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup milk
1 ½ cups grated edam cheese
⅓ cup panko breadcrumbs
50g Living Goodness Sum Yum Kimchi, drained and chopped

INGREDIENTS FOR CUCUMBER SALAD
½ red onion
1 Lebanese cucumber
½ punnet cherry tomatoes
2 tablespoons roughly torn basil leaves
2 tablespoons picked coriander leaves
2 teaspoons vinegar

METHOD
• Heat oven to 220°C.
• Grease a medium casserole dish (measuring about 20x30cm) with butter or oil.
• Bring a medium pot of salted water to the boil.
• Cook pasta in pot of boiling water for about 6 minutes, until just tender. Drain and toss with a drizzle of olive oil to prevent sticking, set aside.
• Melt butter in a medium pot on low-medium heat. Once melted, add flour and cook for about 2 minutes, whisking, until it forms a smooth paste that is bubbling and smells toasted. Gradually add milk and cook for 2-3 minutes, until smooth and thickened.
• Remove from heat, stir through half the cheese and season with pepper to taste. Add cooked, drained pasta and mix. Combine remaining cheese and breadcrumbs in a small bowl.
• Pour half the pasta and sauce into prepared dish, sprinkle half the kimchi over the top, then top with remaining pasta. Sprinkle over remaining kimchi then top with cheesy crumb mixture. Bake for approximately 10 minutes, until the top is golden and crunchy.
• While mac’n cheese is baking, prepare salad. Thinly slice red onion; cut cucumber in half lengthways and thinly slice; cut cherry tomatoes in half. Toss all the cucumber salad ingredients in a medium bowl and season to taste with salt and pepper.

TO SERVE
• Spoon kimchi mac’n cheese onto plates and garnish with remaining herbs. Serve cucumber salad on the side.