Post by Mitra on Jun 12, 2005 20:09:09 GMT -5
You'll need:
1 lb box of large elbow/casserole noodles - the large noodles are key.
2 TBSP Sea Salt
1/8lb of butter (1/2 stick)
1/3 cup of flour
3-4 cups whole milk or 3 cups milk and 1/2 cup of cream
1lb of cheese total (can be a variety of cheeses - I use a good sharp cheddar(3/4lb) and Jalapeno Jack, pepper Jack or chipotle cheese(1/4lb)
1 tsp or 2 squirts of Tabasco - if you don't have a hot spicy cheese available
3/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs or 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 TBSP dried parsley or cilantro
Fresh ground black pepper
Bring the sea salt and water to a rolling boil for the noodles.
While you're waiting for the water to boil, cube the cheese into 1 inch cubes. You can also grate the cheese but I think cubing is faster, if you're doing it manually.
In a heavy pan, melt your butter on a low temperature - don't let the butter start to smoke or caramelize. When the butter is melted, add the flour to the pan and stir it until it forms a paste (this is Roux). Cook the flour for about 30 seconds on a medium heat.
Have your milk in one hand and a slotted stirrer of some sort in the other. Pour the milk in slowly while constantly stirring. When you've poured about half the milk, stop pouring. Continue to stir until you get rid of all the lumps and your sauce is smooth.
It will start to thicken after a few minutes. When it starts to thicken, slowly pour the rest of the milk in, while stirring slowly and constantly. It will start to thicken again after a couple of minutes. Before it gets too thick (and if it does, just add more milk) add the cheese cubes. If you're going to use Tabasco, this is a good time to add it. This also a good time to grind some fresh black pepper into the sauce. Stir the sauce every couple of minutes.
At some point in all of this the water will have boiled. Cook the noodles until they are al dente, or slightly chewy still. Since they'll also be baked, we don't want to over-cook them at this stage. Drain the noodles in a large colander - do not rinse the noodles.
I've done this so many times now that I can do it all at the same time but in my early days of mac 'n cheese I ruined many a batch of noodles by cooking them 'til they were huge, flabby and water-logged because I was concentrating so hard on the cheese sauce. I digress.
When the cheese is completely melted, your sauce is done.
I use the pot from the noodle-boiling for the next step. Put the noodles back into the pot and pour the cheese sauce over the noodles. Mix/fold the noodles and cheese gently.
Pour the mixture into a baking dish and sprinkle the top with the breadcrumbs and cilantro. Another yummy variation is to sprinkle freshly grated Parmesan cheese instead of the breadcrumbs.
Bake at 375F for 45 minutes or until the edges turn a light golden brown. When it's done, take it out of the oven and let it sit for 10-15 minutes. Enjoy!
Since Joann taught me how to make this, I have taken it to most occasions that require a a dish be brought along. There is hardly ever a crumb of it left!
1 lb box of large elbow/casserole noodles - the large noodles are key.
2 TBSP Sea Salt
1/8lb of butter (1/2 stick)
1/3 cup of flour
3-4 cups whole milk or 3 cups milk and 1/2 cup of cream
1lb of cheese total (can be a variety of cheeses - I use a good sharp cheddar(3/4lb) and Jalapeno Jack, pepper Jack or chipotle cheese(1/4lb)
1 tsp or 2 squirts of Tabasco - if you don't have a hot spicy cheese available
3/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs or 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 TBSP dried parsley or cilantro
Fresh ground black pepper
Bring the sea salt and water to a rolling boil for the noodles.
While you're waiting for the water to boil, cube the cheese into 1 inch cubes. You can also grate the cheese but I think cubing is faster, if you're doing it manually.
In a heavy pan, melt your butter on a low temperature - don't let the butter start to smoke or caramelize. When the butter is melted, add the flour to the pan and stir it until it forms a paste (this is Roux). Cook the flour for about 30 seconds on a medium heat.
Have your milk in one hand and a slotted stirrer of some sort in the other. Pour the milk in slowly while constantly stirring. When you've poured about half the milk, stop pouring. Continue to stir until you get rid of all the lumps and your sauce is smooth.
It will start to thicken after a few minutes. When it starts to thicken, slowly pour the rest of the milk in, while stirring slowly and constantly. It will start to thicken again after a couple of minutes. Before it gets too thick (and if it does, just add more milk) add the cheese cubes. If you're going to use Tabasco, this is a good time to add it. This also a good time to grind some fresh black pepper into the sauce. Stir the sauce every couple of minutes.
At some point in all of this the water will have boiled. Cook the noodles until they are al dente, or slightly chewy still. Since they'll also be baked, we don't want to over-cook them at this stage. Drain the noodles in a large colander - do not rinse the noodles.
I've done this so many times now that I can do it all at the same time but in my early days of mac 'n cheese I ruined many a batch of noodles by cooking them 'til they were huge, flabby and water-logged because I was concentrating so hard on the cheese sauce. I digress.
When the cheese is completely melted, your sauce is done.
I use the pot from the noodle-boiling for the next step. Put the noodles back into the pot and pour the cheese sauce over the noodles. Mix/fold the noodles and cheese gently.
Pour the mixture into a baking dish and sprinkle the top with the breadcrumbs and cilantro. Another yummy variation is to sprinkle freshly grated Parmesan cheese instead of the breadcrumbs.
Bake at 375F for 45 minutes or until the edges turn a light golden brown. When it's done, take it out of the oven and let it sit for 10-15 minutes. Enjoy!
Since Joann taught me how to make this, I have taken it to most occasions that require a a dish be brought along. There is hardly ever a crumb of it left!