Macaroni & Cheese

I've recently been going through my cookbooks, looking for new recipes to try out as well as trying to determine which cookbooks I'd like to hold on to and which ones I never use. The Gourmet Cookbook is most definitely in the "to-keep" pile; everything I've made out of it is absolutely delicious. I tried the mac & cheese recipe out about a month ago, and I loved that I could subtly taste the Dijon mustard in the sauce. If you're looking for a mega cheesy recipe, this is not it, but it's delicious and creamy and perfect for these rainy fall days.

Macaroni & Cheese
for topping:
2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
2 cups panko or coarse dry bread crumbs
1 cup coarsely grated extra-sharp Cheddar (about 4 oz)

for cheese sauce & macaroni:
3 Tbsp unsalted butter
3 Tbsp flour
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
2 3/4 cups whole milk
3/4 cup heavy cream
4 cups coarsely grated extra-sharp Cheddar (about 1 pound)
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
3/4 pound elbow macaroni

Put a rack in middle of oven and preheat oven to 400 degrees. Butter a 3-quart shallow baking dish.

Make the topping:
Stir together butter, panko, and cheese in a bowl until well combined.

Make the sauce:
Melt butter in a 5-quart heavy pot over moderately low heat. Whisk in flour and red pepper flakes and cook, whisking, for 3 minutes to make a roux. Whisk in milk in a slow stream, then bring sauce to a boil, whisking constantly. Simmer, whisking occasionally, for 3 minutes. Stir in cream, Cheddar, mustard, salt, and pepper. Remove pot from heat and cover surface of sauce with wax paper to prevent a skin from forming.

Cook the macaroni & assemble the dish:
Cook macaroni in a 6-quart pot of boiling salted water (1 Tbsp salt per every 4 quarts water) until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta cooking water and drain macaroni.

Stir together macaroni, reserved cooking water, and sauce in a large bowl, then transfer to baking dish (mixture will be loose).

Sprinkle topping evenly over macaroni. Bake until top is golden and bubbling, 20-30 minutes. Serves 8-12.

source: recipe from The Gourmet Cookbook

P.S. More mac & cheese recipes.

No-Boil Mac & Cheese

It's no secret that mac & cheese is one of my favorite foods (this recipe will always and forever be my favorite), and I am always up for trying a new recipe. This recipe from Bon Appétit caught my eye because of the "no-boil" part. Growing up my mom made a mac & cheese that also didn't require boiling the noodles, and I always loved it. This recipe is a little different with a very thin bèchamel sauce poured over the noodles and cheese before baking. It's perfect for a weeknight, or even if you're serving it for company, as you can put it all together and keep it in the fridge for a few hours before baking.

No-Boil Mac & Cheese
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, divided
1/4 cup flour
3 cups whole milk (but I've also used 1% and it's worked just fine)
3 cups water
1 Tbsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
1 pound elbow macaroni
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 cup panko
2 tsp dried parsley

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Melt 1/4 cup butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add flour; cook, whisking constantly, for 1 minute. Whisk in milk and water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, and cook, whisking often, until a very thin, glossy sauce forms, about 10 minutes. Stir in 1 Tbsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. Remove sauce from heat.

Toss pasta and 1 1/2 cups cheese in a 9x13 or other shallow 3-quart baking dish. Pour sauce over (past should be submerged; do not stir) and cover with foil. Bake until pasta is almost tender, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt remaining 1/4 cup butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, panko, and parsley and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper.

Remove foil from dish. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese, then panko mixture. Bake until pasta is tender, edges are bubbling, and top is golden brown, about 10 minutes longer. Let sit 10 minutes before serving. Serves 8.

source: recipe from Bon Appétit, January 2013