Macaroni in Roux with Vegetables

I was out shopping with my kids, when my son spotted Broccoli and decided that dinner was going to be Pasta.

You Need:

• 250 gms of Pasta. Follow instruction and cook them in salted water. Save 100 ml of this starchy water for later.
• 5-6 finely sliced garlic cloves.
• 200 grams of button mushrooms, chopped up.
• 2 capsicums, chopped up.
• 200 grams of Broccoli. Separate the florets. Peel the stem. Discard the rough exterior. Chop into small pieces the soft stem inside it.
• 30 grams of butter.
• 30 grams of flour. You can use either Maida or Whole Wheat.
• 200 ml of milk.
• Any seasoning or dry herbs.

Heat oil in a large pan. Add the garlic and cook till the raw edge is gone. Saute the mushrooms, capsicum and chopped broccoli stem. Do this on high heat. Do not let them boil in the water they are releasing. The mushrooms will rapidly shrink down to approximately half the original volume. Add the broccoli florets. Cook on medium heat. Watch the broccoli as they start changing their color. They will suddenly start becoming bright green. When you feel they are really bright, eat one of them. If its cooked. You are done. Do NOT overcook them. The color of the broccoli is their cue and respect it. Overcooked broccoli tastes horrible and is one of the main reasons why most people hate it.

Remove all the vegetables. In the same pan add the butter. Use medium to low heat. When the butter has fully melted, add the flour. Whisk it. Keep on whisking it. When the raw smell is gone start dribbling the milk into this. Keep whisking and don’t add more than 10-20 ml at a time. This will prevent the formation of lumps. Be patient as the rewards are worth it. When all the milk has been added and there are no lumps, you start adding the half cup of pasta starch water. Use the same technique of dribbling in the liquid while constantly whisking.

Season with salt and any herbs you like. Add the vegetables and the macaroni. Cook on high heat for about 2-3 mins When the consistency is just right, switch off the stove and leave it covered for about 10 mins. This will allow the pasta to absorb the sauce.

Enjoy.