It is hard not to like mac n cheese, especially if you love cheese.

For the longest time, I couldn’t see what the fuss over mac n cheese was all about. But now I am totally in love with it.

It is versatile, very easy to cook, and always delicious. It’s not something I’d cook very often because it isn’t all that healthy but as a once-in-a-while kind of food, it is fabulous!

I woke up knowing that I was going to cook mac and cheese for dinner. I am like that a lot. Just a little obsessive.

Mac n Cheese with loads of yummy, oozy, gooey cheese!

HMMMMMMM 🙂

When I looked into my fridge, I saw a tub of kimchi that needed to be eaten. So I thought, “Why not?”

Yep, I was going to add the kimchi into my mac n cheese! Talk about fusion cooking! 😀

Before you think I have gone bonkers, kimchi goes really well with mac n cheese. I am not sure why that is – you don’t get a clash of flavors at all. What you do get is a mellow flavour, some crunch and a load of deliciousness.

It’s really good!

I added bacon to this as well because I had some bacon that I wanted to use up. (This turned out to be a left-over mac n cheese dish!) but you can easily replace the bacon with chicken or pork or even beef mince.

Let me show you how to cook this.

Pan-fry the bacon (or minced meat) with a little olive oil until crispy (for the bacon) or brown (for the minced meat). If using bacon, reserve the bacon fat. Transfer into a bowl and set this aside.

Cook the pasta according to the manufacturer’s instructions, taking 2 minutes off the recommended cooking time. Drain and set aside.

In a casserole, saute minced garlic in a little olive oil for about 30 seconds, or until fragrant. 

Add the chopped kimchi and cook for about 5 minutes on medium heat, stirring frequently to stop the kimchi from burning at the bottom of the pot.

Add the bacon fat or oil. Add the flour and stir until you can no longer see any flour in the pot.

Slowly pour the milk into the pot, stirring all the while, until well-mixed.

Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for another 5 minutes on low heat.

Add the protein – bacon, or the minced meat – and stir until combined.

Add the shredded cheese – I used cheddar, but you can use any cheese you like.

Melt the cheese, stirring quite frequently. 

Finally add the cooked macaroni, and stir to coat.

If you are using the gochugaru, stir it into the sauce. 

Ladle the macaroni into heat-proof serving bowls (or a big tray).

Sprinkle more cheese and freshly ground black pepper on top. 

Bake at 180°C or 15-20 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown and bubbly.

Garnish with chopped spring onion, roasted sesame seeds and chili flakes before serving.

Enjoy!

Kimchi Mac n Cheese

2016-06-09 18:17:00

Serves 4

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Ingredients

1. 1 lb (500g) macaroni (or any short pasta)
2. 12 slices bacon (or 1lb/ 500g minced meat)
3. 4 cloves garlic, minced
4. 1 tablespoon butter or oil (if not using bacon)
5. 20oz (560g) kimchi, chopped
6. 1 tablespoon gochugaru (optional)
7. 2 tablespoons Prima plain flour
8. 2 cups (480ml) milk
9. 2 cups (200g) cheddar (or any other melty cheese)
10. Black pepper, to taste

For garnishing

1. 1 sprig spring onion, chopped
2. 1 tablespoon roasted sesame seeds
3. 1 teaspoon chili flakes

Instructions

1. Pan-fry the bacon (or minced meat) with a little olive oil until crispy (for the bacon) or brown (for the minced meat). If using bacon, reserve the bacon fat. Transfer into a bowl and set this aside.
2. Cook the pasta according to the manufacturer's instructions, taking 2 minutes off the recommended cooking time. Drain and set aside.
3. In a casserole, saute minced garlic in a little olive oil for about 30 seconds, or until fragrant.
4. Add the chopped kimchi and cook for about 5 minutes on medium heat, stirring frequently to stop the kimchi from burning at the bottom of the pot.
5. Add the bacon fat or oil. Add the flour and stir until you can no longer see any flour in the pot.
6. Slowly pour the milk into the pot, stirring all the while, until well-mixed.
7. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for another 5 minutes on low heat.
8. Add the protein – bacon, or the minced meat – and stir until combined.
9. Add the shredded cheese. Melt the cheese, stirring quite frequently.
10. Finally add the cooked macaroni, and stir to coat.
11. If you are using the gochugaru, stir it into the sauce.
12. Ladle the macaroni into heat-proof serving bowls (or a big tray).
13. Sprinkle more cheese and freshly ground black pepper on top.
14. Bake at 180°C or 15-20 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown and bubbly.
15. Garnish with chopped spring onion, roasted sesame seeds and chili flakes before serving.

By Diana Gale

The Domestic Goddess Wannabe https://thedomesticgoddesswannabe.com/