• 1 box of pasta, whatever shape you prefer and made of whatever you like
• 2 med cauliflower
• 1 onion diced (optional)
• 2-6 cloves garlic sliced, dealers choice (optional)
• 1L milk, cream or dairy free alternative, or veg stock
• 1/2 cup butter, oil or dairy free ‘butter’
• 200-400g melty cheese or dairy free cheese (depends how cheesy you want it) grated
• Zest and juice of 1 Lemon
• 2 cups bread crumbs, homemade like we did or boxed or gluten free or omit!
• Salt to taste
• Thyme or rosemary stems if you have some kicking around
• Pepper if you like

1. Put a large pot of water on high and salt heavily so the water tastes salty bring to a boil
2. Add your pasta and cook 1-2 minutes less than what the package says (we will be cooking it twice)
3. Drain and rinse in cold water to cook then place in a bowl or back in the pot and add 2 tbsp oil to prevent from clumping together, set aside
4. Dice your onions and slice your garlic if using, they don’t need to be pretty
5. In a med size heavy bottomed pot (avoid aluminum if possible, it can discolour the sauce)
6. Add your onions/garlic and pinch of salt and sweat on low
7. While your onions are sweating remove the leaves attatched to the stems from both cauliflowers
8. Remove the leaves from the stems, if they are nice leaves, not slimy or yellow put aside in a bowl of water
9. The stems can be rough chopped and placed in a bowl
10. Remove the florets from the cauliflower and save for another use another day
11. Cut the core into small pieces and add to the stems
12. Add stems and cores to your onions and garlic and a pinch of salt
13. If not using then heat up the butter/alternative to med heat and then add the stems and cores
14. Turn up the heat to med/med high and cook for 5-10 minutes careful not to brown too much anything in the pot
15. Add your liquid and a pinch of salt and if you have any thyme stems or rosemary or bay leaves you can add those in here but tie them together so they are easy to remove
16. Bring to a just under a boil then turn down to med low and cook for about 30-45 min or until squishable turn off heat
17. Add half of your cheese, stir and let sit for 5 min while you set up the blender
18. Strain out the liquid but keep on hand
19. Toss your bread crumbs with some oil and salt and set aside
20. Preheat oven to 400F
21. Add to the blender 1/2 of the  strained medley and add enough liquid to go half way up
22. Turn on blender on low and gradually increase the speed, add more liquid if it’s too thick, we are looking for a thick creamy soup consistency
23. Blend on high for 1 minute then pour into a large bowl or pot
24. Repeat with the rest
25. Add lemon zest and juice but mix vigorously while adding the juice so not to curdle it
26. Season to taste
27. Get your bowl of pasta and add the sauce to the pasta bowl and mix together
28. If you have the leaves, drain, cut super small and add to the mixture
29. Taste and adjust seasoning
30. Grease 1 or 2 oven compatible containers and add your Mac and cheese to it and smooth out the top
31. Add the rest of your cheese/alternative
32. Then add your bread crumbs and place in the oven
33. Cook until cheese is melted and breadcrumbs are nice and browned between 20-40 min
34. Remove from oven, let sit for 10 minutes then enjoy!!!

By Chef Harriet Clunie