cooking with nothing

Salmon macaroni and ‘cheese’

I’ve kept the cravings at bay after giving up dairy – mainly because I know exactly how crap I’ll feel after eating it. That doesn’t, however, curb the cravings for specific dishes. Macaroni cheese was one of the first things my mum taught me to make, and I quickly became quite the MC whizz, testing out different variations on the theme.

Last weekend my boyfriend was away, it’s getting cold and I felt like curling up under a blanket with a DVD and a heart-warming dish. This is where my craving for MC came in – with a vengeance.

I decided to give a dairy- and gluten-free version a whirl, so I picked up some nutritional yeast (which gives the cheesy flavour) and tested out the thickening capabilities of arrowroot. Vegetarians and vegans can sub in some mushrooms for the salmon.

• 2 TBSP x arrowroot powder
• 2 cups x unsweetened almond milk
• 1/3 cup x savoury yeast flakes, plus more to sprinkle on top
• 1 tsp x Dijon mustard
• 2 x garlic cloves, crushed
• A squeeze of lemon juice
• 1 x salmon fillet, cooked through and flaked into bite-size pieces
• A handful of baby asparagus spears, cut in half
• 2 x spring onions, diced
• 2 cups x rice pasta

Boil some water in a saucepan and add the pasta. Cook according to packet instructions until al dente.

Mix the arrowroot with 2 TBSP of almond milk and stir until you have a thick paste. Put the rest of the milk into a pan on a low-med heat. Warm slowly and add the paste, lemon juice, garlic and mustard. Stir until well combined, then add the yeast. Cook the mixture until it thickens, whisking often. It should take about 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Combine the pasta, thickened sauce, salmon, and asparagus. Season well and sprinkle savoury yeast over the top. Bake at 200C for 25 minutes, or until the top is crunchy and golden. Leave to cool slightly, then serve. 

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