Pea, Bacon And Mustard Macaroni Cheese

Ingredients

6 rashers streaky bacon, chopped
1 tbsp rapeseed oil
250g frozen peas
4 spring onions, finely sliced into rings, including the green
350g macaroni
50g mature Cheddar cheese, grated

Mustard Cheese Sauce:
50g butter
50g plain flour
500ml full fat milk
120g mature Cheddar cheese
200g cream cheese
3 tsp English mustard
A pinch of nutmeg, optional
Sea salt and black pepper

Nutrition

Per single serving: 1099 kcal, 67.4g fat, 37.4g saturates, 10.4g sugars, 3.2g salt

Method

Preheat a grill on the highest setting.

To make the cheese sauce, heat the butter until melted and add the flour. Mix together in a saucepan and cook on a low heat for 2 � 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and slowly whisk in the milk. Place back on the heat, whisking continuously until the sauce has thickened, is smooth and is just coming to the boil. Remove the pan from the heat, stir in the cheese, cream cheese, mustard and nutmeg (if using) and season with sea salt and black pepper.

Fry the bacon in the oil for 5 � 7 minutes until the bacon is golden brown add the peas and spring onion and cook for a further minute. Remove from the heat.

Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil and cook the macaroni according to the instructions on the packet and drain.

Mix the macaroni into the sauce, along with the bacon and pea mixture, check the seasoning and alter according to taste. Place in an ovenproof dish, top with cheese and grill until golden brown and bubbling.

Serves 4.