EMMA’S MAC & CHEESE

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A staple in any Caribbean and American soul food kitchen, this is real home cooking. The difference between regular macaroni cheese and the Caribbean version is, of course, the spices. Here, I’m adding lots of ground yellow mustard, Cajun seasoning and nutmeg – the perfect partner for anything creamy or cheesy. This combination of spices adds a real kick, tons of extra flavour and brings out the tang of the strong cheese. Some people advocate using a mixture of Cheddar, Parmesan, Red Leicester and a hard blue cheese – so experiment at will.

SERVES FOUR

PREP: 30 MINS

COOK: 30 MINS

500g (16oz) dried macaroni

50g (2oz) butter

2 heaped tbsp plain flour

3 garlic cloves, finely sliced

4 bay leaves

1 litre (1¾ pints) milk

½ nutmeg, freshly grated

1 tbsp mustard powder

½ tsp smoked paprika

¼ tsp dried thyme

175g (6oz) each of strong Cheddar and Parmesan, grated

2 eggs, lightly beaten

2 tomatoes, thinly sliced

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

To serve:

hot pepper sauce

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4.

Cook the macaroni according to packet instructions.

Heat a large, heavy-based pan and melt the butter. Fry the garlic and bay leaves until the garlic is golden, then stir in the flour and continue to cook on a medium heat for another couple of minutes.

Gradually add the milk a little at a time, stirring it all together. Add the nutmeg, mustard powder, paprika and thyme and all but a handful of the cheese. Season well. Simmer until the sauce has thickened and the cheese melted.

Allow to cool slightly, then stir in the beaten eggs. Add the drained macaroni, mix together and transfer to an ovenproof dish. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Lay the sliced tomatoes on the top and bake for 30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown. Serve the macaroni cheese with plenty of hot peppersauce on the side.