I like to make macaroni cheese with leeks or cauliflower mixed in with it and then serve it with sausages on the side for a comforting mid-week supper dish. This version sandwiches a layer of smoked haddock between the top and the bottom of the leek and macaroni cheese – a really delicious twist. Serve it with peas, green beans or broccoli on the side.

Serves 4

• 3 leeks, cleaned and cut into 2cm rounds
• 2 smoked haddock fillets
• 400g macaroni
• 100g grated cheese – cheddar, Gruyere and Parmesan
• 1 tbsps plain flour
• 30g unsalted butter
• 500ml milk
• 2 tbsps Parmesan cheese
• Juice of half a lemon
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 4 tbsps panko crumbs

To make…

• Preheat the oven to 200C.
• Lightly butter a gratin or baking dish.
• Cook the macaroni in boiling salted water for 10 minutes. Drain and reserve a little of the cooking water.
• Poach the haddock and the leeks in the milk for 10 minutes. Drain off the milk.
• Melt the butter, stir in the flour and cook out for a few minutes. Pour the hot milk in gradually so it becomes a thick, silky sauce. Whisk in the mustard, the lemon juice and the cheese.
• Mix the sauce in with the macaroni and the leeks. Loosen it with a little of the pasta water if necessary so that it isn’t stodgy.
• Pour half of the mixture into the gratin or baking dish. Flake the smoked haddock evenly over the top. Pour over the remainder of the macaroni cheese and leek mixture and level it out. Mix the parmesan and panko crumbs together and scatter over the top.
• Bake for 10 minutes until the top is golden.

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