Macaroni Cheese with the Panasonic CS-894 steam microwave

Mac n Cheese Made Easy – a Steam Microwave recipe:

Mac and cheese is ubiquitous these days and this comfort food classic has become a mainstay on the menu of a huge range of restaurants. But making it at home can be quite a faff as it involves a couple of hobs, an oven and a grill.But the results with the Panasonic CS-894 steam microwave exceeded my expectations by a long way, with a crisp top, a thick cheesy sauce and perfectly cooked pasta. My guests tucked in and devoured it-it’s great with a green salad and if you fancy it you can put some sliced tomato on top near the end of the cooking process for a bit of excitement.

With the amazing Panasonic CS-894 steam microwave Mac & Cheese becomes a one device meal and if you don’t have a cooker at home the multi-functionality of the CS-894 really is a godsend, allowing all sorts of recipe choices that wouldn’t otherwise be available.

Macaroni Cheese with the Panasonic CS-894 steam microwave

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Serves	4
Prep time	5 minutes
Cook time	10 minutes
Total time	15 minutes
Allergy	Milk, Wheat
Dietary	Vegetarian
Meal type	Lunch, Main Dish, Side Dish
Misc	Serve Hot

Ingredients

• 200g quick cook macaroni
• 40g butter
• 1 small onion (finely chopped)
• 40g plain flour
• 600ml milk
• 4 teaspoons French mustard
• 150g grated Cheddar cheese
• Salt and pepper
• 25g fresh brown breadcrumbs

Directions

Step 1	Place uncooked macaroni in glass dish with 550ml boiling water.
Step 2	Cover, place on oven base and cook on High Microwave for 6 mins or until soft.
Step 3	Drain in colander.
Step 4	Place butter and onion in a jug and cook on High Microwave for 5 mins or until soft. Stir halfway through cooking.
Step 5	Stir in flour and cook on High Microwave for 30 seconds. Gradually add milk, stir well and season.
Step 6	Cook on High Microwave for 9 mins until sauce is thick and bubbling. Stir twice during cooking.
Step 7	Add mustard and 100g grated cheese. Place macaroni and sauce in dish and stir well. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and grated cheese.
Step 8	Place dish in glass shelf in the lower shelf position and cook on Convection 230 degrees C + Grill 3 + Low Microwave for 12 mins or until cheese starts to melt. For a bit of added crunch give it an extra 2 minutes under the grill.

I have really enjoyed exploring the possibilities offered by the Panasonic CS-894 steam microwave. It’s a beautifully designed and built device that not only looks very sexy but is very straightforward to use.

The four basic functions-steam, grill, oven and microwave- all work really well and the multi-function aspect makes this a machine that really can replace a cooker in your home. I’ve been really surprised by the possibilities and how it opens up healthier ways of cooking with less fat. Now if the clever people at Panasonic could only make one that would mix cocktails too…