CHILLI GUAC MAC ‘N’ CHEESE

Ingredients

• 14 oz (400 g) macaroni
• 4¼ oz (120 g) butter
• 1¾ oz 1/3 cup (50 g) plain (all-purpose) flour
• 2 rounded teaspoons dijon mustard
• 2 bay leaves
• 44 fl oz 5 cups (1.25 litres) semi-skimmed milk
• 5½ oz (150 g) pickled jalapeños
• 4 spring onions (scallions), thinly sliced
• handful of finely chopped coriander (cilantro)
• 9 oz 2½ cups (250 g) rated mature cheddar
• 5½ oz 1½ cups  (150 g) finely grated parmesan

• 2 hass avocados, mashed
• 7 oz  (200 g) pickled jalapeños, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 Limes juice
• small handful of chopped coriander (cilantro)

1. Start by boiling a large pan of salted water. Add the macaroni and stir thoroughly to ensure the pasta doesn’t stick. Continue to do this every few minutes while the pasta cooks. Cook as per the instructions on the packet until the pasta is al dente (still has a slight crunch to it), around 8–12 minutes.
2. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium–low heat. Add the flour and stir until it forms a paste, then add the mustard and bay leaves and season generously with salt and pepper. Gradually add the milk, stirring constantly, until you have a thick creamy sauce. At this point, add the jalapeños, spring onions and coriander, plus half of the grated cheddar and a quarter of the parmesan, saving the rest of the cheeses for the top of the mac ‘n’ cheese.
3. Once the cheese has melted and the sauce is smooth, stir in the drained macaroni, then transfer to individual heatproof dishes, or one large one, and cover with the remaining cheeses and some more pepper. Brown under a hot grill (broiler) for 5–7 minutes or until golden and crisp.
4. For the chilli guac topping, simply combine all the ingredients and season with salt and white pepper. Add a large dollop to every serving.