Lesson video

Hello, I'm Mr. Balum.

Thanks for choosing this lesson, and today we're going to be making green mac and cheese.

Let's get started, shall we?

So what are we going to be able to do today by the end of the lesson?

Well, we're going to use our food skills to make a green mac and cheese, making a roux sauce.

Let's look at some keywords together, shall we?

So the first one is macaroni, and it's a type of pasta, sometimes shortened to mac.

The next keyword is gelatinization, and this is the process of thickening a mixture with starch, flour in a liquid when it's heated.

And lastly, roux sauce.

And it's a classic French sauce made with butter, flour, and milk.

So keep an eye out for these three words as we go through the lesson.

So let's look at the first part of the lesson, which is all about ingredients, modification, and comparison.

So we are going to be making a green mac and cheese.

And the main ingredients with this are, first of all, a pasta, macaroni.

Then we're going to make the sauce, which is the flour, milk, butter, and cheese.

And lastly, we're gonna add some green vegetables.

So we're gonna be putting in some broccoli, spinach, and peas.

Now, there are many different types of pasta.

Here's just a few on the screen here.

Can you name them for me?

What do you think they are?

Let's start with left to right, shall we?

So let's have a quick look at the name, shall we?

Well, the first one is macaroni, which we're gonna be using in our pasta dish.

The next one is frusilli, which is the little spirals.

The next one?

Yes, that's fettuccini.

Well done, if you got that one correct.

Then we've got penne.

And the last one is farfalle.

So well done if you've got those correct.

And pasta is made from flour, usually wheat flour, mixed with eggs.

But egg-free and gluten-free pastas are also available.

Have a little think.

I want you to name four other pastas.

What can you come up with?

Mm.

Well, one of them could be spaghetti.

I'm sure you got that one.

Or perhaps ravioli.

What others have you come up with?

I bet you come up with some great ideas.

The sauce that we're going to make is made from flour, milk, and butter.

And as I mentioned at the beginning, it's called a roux sauce.

It's a classic French sauce.

And the butter is melted and the flour added to make a thick paste.

And then the milk is gradually added to the paste.

And then other flavorings, such as cheese, mustard, and herbs, can be added.

And it's interesting that a roux sauce forms the base for other French sauces, such as the bechamel or a veloute.

So how does the sauce get thicker?

Well, the starch granules in the flour swell and thicken when in the milk the liquid and they're heated.

So eventually, the granules swell to a point that they burst and they released a starch thickening the sauce.

And this process is known as gelatinization.

And the liquid, the milk should be gradually added to the sauce and the sauce continually stirred and whisked, and this prevents lumps and ensures a really smooth sauce.

Okay, so let's have a quick check for understanding, shall we?

So a roux sauce can have all the liquid, the milk, added at the same time and whisked occasionally.

Is that true or false?

That's false, isn't it?

And why is that?

Well, the roux sauce must have the liquid, the milk, added gradually, and the sauce should be whisked continually to prevent lumps.

Well done, if you got that correct.

Let's have another one.

So the process of a roux sauce becoming thick is called A, B, C, or D?

That's right.

It's C, isn't it?

It's gelatinization.

Well done.

Now, cheese that we're going to use in the mac and cheese is made for milk, which can be from a cow, a sheep, or a goat.

And the rennet or a vegetarian alternative is added to milk to form curds and whey.

And the whey the liquid is drained away from the curds, which is a semi-solid.

And depending on the type of cheese made, the curds may be salted and then pressed, removing more of the liquid, making a hard cheese.

And there are many different types of cheese making techniques, and you end up with different types of cheeses.

So for example, the process you might use for making cheddar, emmental, and mozzarella will be different, but there's still cheese made from milk.

So ingredients in a recipe can be modified or changed for a number of different reasons, and these might include things like personal taste, the availability of different ingredients, and perhaps just to add some variety.

So for mac and cheese, this might including things like different types of pastas, for example, perhaps different types of cheeses, or perhaps vegetables.

There are lots of changes that could be made.

What other changes do you think could be made?

How would you do them?

Mm.

Well, yes, I suppose you could use different types of milk, for example, to make the sauce, or you could have different herbs perhaps, or mustard, or perhaps adding pesto to it.

So there are lots of different things that you could do to modify a recipe.

And a recipe can also be modified to help meet healthy eating messages.

So for example, we could think about things like reducing fat, or increasing fiber, or achieving five a day, or eating more fish.

So what sort of changes might this include?

Well, for example, it might be using reduced fat cheese, or using whole meal pasta, adding more veg or beans to the pasta dish, or adding fish such as tuna or mackerel, or these helping to meet healthy eating messages.

So what other changes could be made?

What can you think of?

Or you could make more changes, couldn't you, around increasing fiber, for example, by adding extra fruits and vegetables, or perhaps beans, because they also provide fiber.

Or perhaps you want to change it for a different reason, perhaps reducing the salt content, and therefore you might look at where the salt is provided in the recipe and make those changes, so we can make lots of changes to meet healthy eating messages.

So let's have a quick check that you've been listening.

So which modifications would help towards five a day and increase fiber, A, B, C, or D?

Yes, definitely D, isn't it?

Adding extra broccoli.

Anything else?

Yes, that's right.

It's B, using whole meal pasta.

So these two changes would help you towards five a day and also increase fiber, well done.

It's also interesting that you can compare dishes cooked at home to those that are purchased, for example, and there'll be different ways that you can compare them.

So for example, one might be cost, one might be the food skills that you've used or haven't used, might be the time to make something, it could be the convenience factor, or perhaps the taste, maybe it's to do with healthy nutrition, or perhaps just enjoyment as well.

Are there any other ways that you might compare food cooked at home to that purchased?

What can you think of?

What might it be?

Or other ways you might compare maybe things like allergies, for example, or perhaps where the food comes from, where it originates, or perhaps is it being produced more sustainably?

So there are lots of different factors that we can consider when we're comparing food that's made at home compared to when we buy food.

Now, cost is a really important factor when comparing dishes cooked at home to those that are purchased, and ready meals are a really good example of this.

So the cost of ingredients used to cook a dish can be calculated, and then the amount used of each ingredient should be costed.

So for example, if 250 grams of butter costs two pounds, then 25 grams would cost 20p, so that's the amount it would cost.

And the cost of ingredients and ready meals can be found online, so it's quite easy to find out this information, and therefore, the costs can be compared.

Here's an example of a homemade macaroni cheese compared to a shop bought one.

So the homemade one works out to a 1.

06 pounds for a 400 gram portion, and when we compare it to one that's bought, it works out for 3.

25 pounds for a 400 gram portion.

So that's quite a difference, isn't it?

So what comparisons do you think could be made between the two?

Well, clearly, it's cheaper to cook the macaroni cheese at home, and that saves 2.

19 pounds.

That's quite a big saving, isn't it?

Perhaps there'll also be ingredients left over, so you can use them another time, so that's good.

Or perhaps the shop bought dish saves you time and is convenient, so that's really important to you.

And perhaps sometimes you just don't have all the equipment to make the food.

And lastly, it could be that you have all the food skills to make the dish, and you really enjoy doing it too.

So sometimes we might cook from scratch, and sometimes we might buy something that's already pre-prepared.

It really depends on the different factors.

So here's a task for you.

I want you to list three pros and three cons for this home cooked lasagna compared to a shop bought lasagna.

So have a good think, look at what's there, and I'll come back very shortly to see how you've got on.

Good luck.

Okay, so how did you get on?

Should we look at some examples together?

Well, the first one is very clear that the pro is it's much cheaper to make, saving 63p.

It also, it makes double the amount.

It's 2.

62 pounds for a 800 gram portion.

Wow, that's double, wasn't it?

But also, it could just be that one of the pros is, I enjoy cooking too.

What about the cons of home cooked?

Well, it takes time, doesn't it?

And there's lots to make, too.

Or perhaps you might not have all the equipment like an oven, for example.

And lastly, you may not be able to store the extra ingredients, so you just wanted to get the shop bought one because it was quick and convenient for you.

So there are lots of different pros and cons depending on lots of different factors.

Well done for whatever you've come up with.

So let's move on to the second part of the lesson, which is all about making your green mac and cheese.

And to make this, we're gonna use a number of different food skills, and the first one is measuring, which is really important.

So we're gonna be weighing ingredients like the pasta, for example, and we need to make sure when we use the weighing scales, it starts and says zero to begin with.

We're also gonna be using a measuring jug to measure the milk, and we need to make sure you put the jug on a flat surface before you measure it, just so that you can read the measure up the side of the jug.

And we're also gonna be using measuring spoons, so we need to make sure we use the right size spoon.

We're also going to be grating and slicing, so we're gonna be grating, and we're gonna be using a grater held in a chopping board, and we need to hold it down really firmly as well.

And we're also going to be slicing.

We're gonna be slicing the broccoli, and we're gonna be using the bridge hold and the claw grip.

And be careful, remember the knife is sharp, but these are safe cutting techniques.

So which of these is showing the claw grip, A, B, or C?

Yes, that's right.

It's C, isn't it?

You can tell by the way the hand is positioned like a claw.

Well done.

So also to make the mac and cheese, we're going to be using the hob, and we're going to be boiling the macaroni in a saucepan in the boiling water.

So we're gonna bring the water to a boil and then add the macaroni to it.

And then when it's boiling, we're gonna reduce the heat so it simmers and cooks.

We're also then going to drain the macaroni, and you can see here in the picture, we're draining the macaroni in a sink using a colander, but you need to be really careful because the water is boiling hot and the steam is hot too.

And also, you need to think about when you're moving the macaroni, put the colander back on top of the saucepan when you move around the room, just so there's no drips of boiling hot water.

So let's have another quick check.

So what equipment is used to boil and drain the pasta?

A, B, C, D.

Yes, that's right.

We use a saucepan, don't we, to boil the pasta?

How about draining?

Yes, that's right.

We'll use a colander to drain.

Well done.

We're also gonna be using the hob again to make the sauce, and we're gonna be making the roux sauce, and you do that by, first of all, melting the butter in the saucepan, and then off the heat, you stir in the flour, making a thick paste.

You then add a little milk off the heat until it's being fully absorbed, then return to the heat and cook for another minute.

And then you continue adding the milk in this way until the sauce is thick, and it's add pouring consistency.

So add some milk off the heat, let it absorb, put it back on the heat to cook it, and that way you'll produce a really good roux sauce.

And if your roux sauce is too thick, just add a little bit of extra milk.

And when you add the cheese, the heat from the sauce will melt the cheese.

We're also going to be using the grill, so first of all, make sure you preheat the grill, so it's nice and hot when you come to use it, and place the dish on the grill pan before you place it in the grill.

And use oven gloves when placing food into or removing it from the grill.

Okay, I bet you're excited to start there, aren't you?

So I want you to follow the recipe to make the green mac and cheese, but before you cook, so get ready to cook.

So make sure you've tied up any long hair, you've removed your jumper, washed your hands, and put on a clean apron.

Also, you've got your ingredients and your equipment ready.

And then when you're prepping and cooking, I want you to think about being safe and hygienic.

I want you to use your food skills accurately and precisely.

And also, I want you to note the food science aspects.

So for example, gelatinization, the sauce going thick.

So here's the recipe, so here's the ingredients and the equipment you need.

You might wanna pause the video now while you go and collect these.

And here's the method.

So here's the first part of the method.

And then here's the next part followed by the last part here.

So pause the video, make your green mac and cheese, and we'll come back very shortly to see how you've got on.

Good luck to you.

Okay, so how did you get on?

I bet you did brilliantly, didn't you?

So let's have a quick review of how you've made your green mac and cheese successfully, shall we?

So the first thing you should have done is to boil your macaroni in the water.

It's until al dente that's just about cooked.

And while the macaroni's cooking, you would have then sliced the broccoli, and about five minutes before the end of the pasta's cooked, add the broccoli.

And when the pasta and broccoli's cooked, you'd have drained it in a colander in the sink, and then placed it into a foil tray or in an oven proof dish.

You would have then made your roux sauce while the pasta is cooking, just following these instructions here.

And once the sauce is thick, you would have mixed in the spinach, the peas, and the mustard.

You would have turned down the heat and let it simmer for about five minutes.

This also helps to cook out any floury taste too.

Then you would have grated the cheese and stirred three quarters of it into the sauce.

Remember, the heat from the sauce will help melt the cheese.

Then you would poured the cheese mixture over the pasta and the broccoli.

You then would have sprinkled the remaining cheese over the top and any breadcrumbs if you're using them too.

And lastly, we would have placed it under a hot grill until the cheese was bubbling.

Lovely golden brown.

Well, that's it.

I hope you really enjoyed making your green mac and cheese, and perhaps you'll make it again, and you can try different types of pasta, different vegetables, and even different cheeses too.

And one of the main things we've learned is there are some key ingredients to make mac and cheese.

Firstly, it's the pasta, the macaroni, then the sauce, which is the flour, butter, milk, and cheese, and then the green vegetables.

We also know that a roux sauce is a classic French sauce where butter is melted and flour added, and milk is then gradually stirred in.

And the sauce becomes thick due to a process called gelatinization.

We also looked at dishes cooked at home can be compared to those purchased for a number of different factors, including cost.

And lastly, we've used a number of different food skills to make our mac and cheese.

So for example, measuring, grating, slicing, using the hob and grill safely and draining too.

Well, well done.

I hope you enjoyed this lesson and I hope you come back very soon for another cooking and nutrition lesson.

Thanks a lot, I'll see you soon.

Bye.