This is the recipe that featured in last Wednesday's Days vs Night post. A steaming bowl of mac and cheese is the perfect fodder for a cold Winter's evening.

As a novice chef, I had a bit of trouble with the whole melting the cheese / creme fraiche in a bowl over the saucepan. I ended up sticking the mixture into the microwave and microwaving it on high for 30 seconds at a time until it had melted. I added a little bit of water at the end to make the consistency a little bit more runny. Maybe you'll have better luck with the recipe's method. I'll give it another go next time.

The sauce is very hard to clean off once it has dried. If you're not going to do the washing up straight away, I'd recommend soaking pans and dishes in hot water. Wiping down the pans and dishes with a sponge when you're finished is also a good idea.

Macaroni Cauliflower Cheese Bake
serves 4 - 6 (this was 4 meals for Andrew and me. Jamie's portions are generous.)

1/2 a head cauliflower 200g Cheddar cheese 100g Parmesan cheese a bunch of fresh flat-leaf parsley sea salt 400g dried macaroni 200g creme fraiche

To prepare your pasta:
Remove the outer green leaves from the cauliflower and discard. Slice the end off the cauliflower stalk. Cut the head into small florets. Halve the thick stalk length ways, then slice thinly. Grate the Cheddar and Parmesan into a large heatproof bowl. Finely chop the parsley stalks and leaves.

To cook your pasta:
Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Add the macaroni and all your cauliflower and cook according to the macaroni packet instructions. While the pasta is cooking, place the bowl of cheese over the saucepan and add the creme fraiche. Carefully stir every so often until the cheese is smooth and melted. If the water boils up beneath the bowl, just turn the heat down slightly. Add all the chopped parsley to the melted cheese and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Carefully remove the bowl of cheese using a towel or oven gloves and put aside. Drain the macaroni in a colander over a bowl, reserving the cooking water. Return the pasta to the pan, pour in the melted cheese and stir. It should have a lovely, silky consistency, but if it's too thick for you, add a splash of your cooking water to thin it out a bit. At this point you can either serve the macaroni as is, or finish it under the grill to make it crispy and golden on top. To do this, preheat your grill to a medium to high heat. Add 150ml of the reserved cooking water to the macaroni, stir in, then transfer to a baking dish. Place under the grill until golden and bubbling.

To serve your pasta:
Divide the pasta between plates or bowls, or place the baking dish in the middle of the table next to a nice green salad and let everyone help themselves.