MAC AND CHEESE WITH ROASTED CAULIFLOWER

This version of mac and cheese is vegetarian with lots of cheese, a smoky taste and roasted vegetables, but you can add leftover meatballs, cooked sausages, pulled pork or brisket. And if there’ a little tomato or bbq sauce clinging to the meat that’s good too.

❚ 1 head cauliflower, trimmed and cut into 1" pieces ❚ 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil ❚ 1 tsp smoked paprika ❚ 1 tsp kosher salt

Topping:

❚ 3 tbsp butter, melted ❚ 1 1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs or coarse breadcrumbs ❚ 1/4 cup grated cheese (from below)

Sauce

❚ 1/4 cup butter ❚ 1 onion, chopped ❚ 1/4 cup all-purpose flour ❚ 3 cups milk, hot ❚ 1 tsp kosher salt ❚ 1/4 tsp each freshly ground black pepper and nutmeg ❚ 2 tsp puréed chipotle chilies or Chipotle Tabasco

Pasta and assembly

❚ 1/2 lb penne pasta (about 2 cups) ❚ 1 lb old Cheddar cheese (or half smoked Cheddar, half Swiss cheese or any combination)

1. Toss cauliflower with 3 tbsp olive oil, smoked paprika and salt. Spread cauliflower on a baking sheet and roast in a preheated 400F oven 30 minutes or until browned.

2. For topping combine 3 tbsp melted butter with breadcrumbs and 1/4 cup grated cheese.

3. Heat 1/4 cup butter in a large saucepan. Add onions and cook 5 minutes until fragrant and tender but not brown. Stir in flour and cook gently 2 to 3 minutes. Whisk in hot milk, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Bring to a boil. Whisk in chipotles. Cook a few minutes. Add salt, pepper, nutmeg and chipotles. Taste and season sauce well.

3. Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until just cooked. Drain well. In a large bowl toss pasta with sauce, grated cheese and cauliflower.

4. Place pasta in a buttered 3qt baking dish. Top with breadcrumbs. Place on a baking sheet and bake 30 minutes in a preheated 350F oven or until browned and bubbling.

makes 8 servings