Pigs in Blankets Mac ‘ n ’ Cheese Recipe by Faversham-based Opies www . opiesfoods . com
This twist on a classic is perfect for your Christmas Day leftovers !
Prep time : 30 minutes Cooking time : 30 minutes Serves : 6-8
Ingredients :
For the macaroni cheese :
• 50g butter
• 2 tbsp plain flour
• 4 cloves garlic , crushed
• 500g macaroni pasta
• 2 bay leaves
• 650ml milk
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 200g strong cheddar cheese
• 50ml double cream , optional ( or clotted cream if you have some leftover from Christmas )
• 15 cooked pigs in blankets
For the pickled walnut breadcrumbs :
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 150g breadcrumbs
• 4 Opies Pickled Walnuts , finely chopped
• 2 tbsp flat leaf parsley , finely chopped
• 1 tbsp Parmesan cheese
Method : 1 . Preheat the oven to 220 º C / 200 º C Fan / Gas 7 .
2 . Melt the butter in a pan , add the flour and garlic then keep stirring to form a roux .
3 . Meanwhile bring a large pan of salted water to the boil then add the macaroni and cook for 10 minutes until a little under al dente .
4 . Add the bay leaves to the roux followed by the milk , stirring continuously until no lumps remain and the mixture thickens . Add the Dijon mustard , cheese , cream ( if using ) and finally the pigs in blankets . Season to taste then transfer to an oven proof dish .
5 . To make the breadcrumbs , combine all the breadcrumb ingredients in a clean bowl with a generous seasoning of salt and pepper . You can add more cheese , pickled walnuts and parsley at this stage to suit your taste . Scatter the breadcrumbs over the top of the macaroni cheese then pop in the oven for 10-15 minutes until the top is crispy and golden .
Where to Buy :
Opies ’ Pickled Walnuts 390g are available from Tesco , Morrisons , Booths , Waitrose , Ocado and Sainsbury ’ s from £ 3 .
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