macaroni with smoked haddock

Preparation time 15 minutes

Cooking temperature low

Cooking time 2¼–3¼ hours

Serves 4

200 g (7 oz) macaroni

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 onion, chopped

50 g (2 oz) butter

50 g (2 oz) plain flour

450 ml (¾ pint) UHT milk

450 ml (¾ pint) fish stock

175 g (6 oz) Cheddar cheese, grated

¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg

500 g (1 lb) smoked haddock, skinned and cut into 2.5 cm (1 inch) cubes

200 g (7 oz) can sweetcorn, drained

125 g (4 oz) spinach, rinsed, drained and roughly torn

salt and pepper

grilled cherry tomatoes on the vine, to serve

Preheat the slow cooker if necessary; see the manufacturer’s instructions. Tip the macaroni into a bowl, cover with plenty of boiling water and leave to stand for 10 minutes while preparing the rest of the dish.

Heat the oil in a saucepan, add the onion and fry gently, stirring, for 5 minutes or until softened. Add the butter and, when melted, stir in the flour. Gradually mix in the milk and bring to the boil, stirring until smooth. Stir in the stock, 125 g (4 oz) of the cheese, nutmeg and salt and pepper and bring back to the boil, stirring.

Drain the macaroni and add to the slow cooker pot with the haddock and sweetcorn. Pour over the sauce and gently stir together. Cover with the lid and cook on low for 2–3 hours.

Stir the spinach into the macaroni, replace the lid and cook on low for 15 minutes. Lift the pot out of the housing using oven gloves and stir once more. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the macaroni, then brown under a hot grill until the top is golden. Serve with grilled cherry tomatoes on the vine.

For Stilton macaroni with bacon, soak the macaroni as above. Make up the cheese sauce with the milk, adding vegetable stock in place of fish stock and replacing the Cheddar cheese with Stilton cheese. Omit the fish and cook as above with the sweetcorn. Stir in the spinach and 6 rashers grilled smoked back bacon, diced. Cook for 15 minutes, then finish with a little extra Stilton and brown under the grill.