CAROL'S MAC AND CHEESE

This recipe comes from my friend Carol, who brought it to a covered dish picnic. It was so good, I asked her for the recipe. It's simple, and delicious.

RIGATONI AND CHEESE

serves 6-8

 

1 lb rigatoni

3-oz each Gorgonzola, Fontina, Bel Paese cheeses

1 C half and half

1/2 C freshly grated parmesan cheese

 

1. Cook rigatoni al dente.

 

2. Bring half and half to a simmer. Add gorgonzola, fontina and bel paese. When smooth, combine with pasta. Sprinkle top with parmesan. Pour into a souflle dish.

 

3. Bake at 350 degrees until bubbly on top, about 20 minutes.

MACARONI AND FONTINA

Here's another recipe for mac and cheese that includes vegetables, a nice change, and one that makes for a hearty meal. This also uses whole wheat pasta. This is a little more complicated than some recipes and I haven't tried it, but it sounds really good.

 

MACARONI AND FONTINA

serves 6 as a main course

10 as an appetizer course

 

 

1 T olive oil, plus some for cooking pasta (optional, but advised)

1 medium onion, sliced thin

1 clove garlic, slivered

2 small yellow bell pepper, trimmed, seeded and cut into very thin strips (about 1/4" x 2 1/2")

2 small orange bell peppers, like above

2 small zucchini (3-oz each) cut crosswise into thin diagonal slices, then into strips

2 small yellow crookneck squash (3-oz each), like above

coarse sea salt to taste

freshly ground black pepper to taste

8-oz imported sedani or mostaccioli, preferably whole wheat (large tube shaped, like penne)

3 T unsalted butter

3 T flour

2 sprigs fresh rosemary

4 fresh sage leaves

1 bay leaf, preferably imported

1 1/2 C milk

1 1/4 C grated fontina cheese, preferably Fontina Valle d'Aosta

 

1. Preheat oven to 425.

 

2. Heat olive oil in a 12" nonstick skillet over medium heat and stir in onion. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Raise the heat slightly and stir in the bell peppers. Cook, stirring frequently for 2 minutes. Add the zucchini and yellow squash and cook, stirring constantly for 2 minutes. Season with the salt and pepper and set aside.

 

3. Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water for 4 minutes. Add olive oil, if desired, to keep the pasta from sticking together. Drain the pasta, run cold water over it to stop the cooking process, then drain again. Set aside.

 

4. Make the béchamel sauce: heat the butter in a medium size saucepan over medium to medium high heat until it becomes very dark brown but not burned. Stir in the flour, rosemary, sage and bay leaf. Cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Slowly pour in the milk and cook, whisking constantly, for 4-5 minutes, until the sauce is the consistency of thick sour cream. Stir and season with salt and pepper. Cool slightly.

 

5. Return pasta to the large pot and stir in the béchamel sauce. Add the vegetables and 1 cup of the grated fontina. Place the mixture in a deep earthenware or glass baking dish (about 13 x 9 x 2). Sprinkle with the remaining grated fontina.

 

6. Bake for 20 minutes, until the pasta is browned and crusty on top.

 



YET ANOTHER MAC AND CHEESE

Here's a recipe for mac and cheese that uses eggs to thicken the mixture. It uses a lot of butter. But hey, we don't have mac and cheese every day. This is really rich. And delicious.

 

MACARONI AND CHEESE

serves 8

 

13 T butter

salt

1 lb ziti

2 lb white Cheddar cheese, grated

2 14-oz cans evaporated milk

4 eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 t paprika

2-4 pinches cayenne

 

1. Preheat oven to 375. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Meanwhile, butter a large baking dish with 1 T of the butter and set aside.

 

2. Add 2 generous pinches salt to the boiling water, then add the ziti and cook, stirring occasionally, until pasta is just cooked through, about 8 minutes. Drain, then transfer pasta to a large bowl. Add cheese, evaporated mil, and the remaining 12 T butter to the bowl and sir with a large spoon, until cheese and butter melt and mixture cools slightly, 2-3 minutes. Add eggs, 1/4 t paprika and cayenne and salt to taste, stirring until well combined.

 

3. Evenly spread pasta mixture in prepared baking dish, then sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 t paprika. Transfer dish to oven and bake until golden on top, about 45 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside to cool for at leas t10 minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature.

ANOTHER MAC AND CHEESE

When you want some meat in your mac and cheese (and you don't want to spring for lobster, which is delicious), here's a recipe that uses cooked country ham and plum tomatoes.

MACARONI AND CHEESE

serves 4

 

2 T butter, plus more for casserole dish

2 T flour

2 C milk

1 1/2 C grated Monterey Jack chees, plus more for sprinkling

3 1/2 C cooked elbow macaroni

1 C small cubes roasted country ham

1 C canned Italian plum tomatoes, drained

3/4 C coarse bread crumbs (made from stale bread cut into little cubes)

freshly ground black pepper to taste

 

1. Preheat oven to 350. Butter a casserole dish. In a saucepan, heat the 2 T butter until foamy. Sprinkle in flour and whisk until it turns golden, then slowly our in milk, continuing to whisk. Bring to a simmer and let thicken, stirring constantly. Stir in the cheese. It should be a loose sauce. Fold in macaroni, then hem. Add tomatoes by squeezing them into small pieces. Taste and adjust seasoning. If mixture is too thick, add a little milk or drained tomato juice.

 

2. Pour into casserole dish. Sprinkle with bread crumbs and then about 1/4 C cheese. Grind pepper over top. Bake until browned on top, about 25 minutes.

NEW YORK TIMES MAC AND CHEESE

This recipe for mac and cheese includes onion and mustard and uses cavatelli instead of the more traditional elbow macaroni. It also had a little bite, from the hot sauce.Try it; you can hardly go wrong with mac and cheese. This one is made in two baking dishes and also serves a crowd.

NEW YORK TIMES MAC AND CHEESE

serves 12

 

2 C diced onion

4 T unsalted butter

1/4 C unbleached flour

1 qt. low fat milk

2 T Dijon mustard

24-oz  grated extra sharp aged white Cheddar cheese

salt and freshly ground white pepper

1/4 t ground nutmeg

1/2 - 1 t hot pepper sauce

16-oz cavatelli pasta

4 T grated parmesan cheese

 

1. In a deep saucepan, cook onion in butter over low heat until onion is soft but not browned. Stir in flour, remove pan from heat and whisk in milk until thoroughly blended. Return to medium heat and cook, stirring, until mixture begins to thicken. Remove from heat and stir in mustard and 20-oz of the Cheddar cheese, salt and pepper, nutmeg and hot pepper sauce.

 

2. Cook cavatelli according to package directions until just al dente. Drain but do not rinse. Stir immediately into cheese sauce until well blended. Adjust seasonings.

 

3. Spoon mixture into two 9x13 inch baking dishes. Top with remaining Cheddar cheese and the parmesan. Refrigerate until needed. To serve, allow dishes to return to room temperature. Heat oven to 400 degrees and bake about 20 minutes, until mixture is hot, bubbling and golden.

 



 

GOURMET'S MAC AND CHEESE

On February 17, one year ago, I did a riff on Mac and Cheese, providing several different versions. I thought I had mined that vein as fully as possible. But I've found other recipes so will begin to share them here, first with a recipe from the now defunct "Gourmet Magazine." This is pretty straightforward, but uses basil and a tomato on top and doesn't need to bake, but broils instead. And given the produce in most grocery stores today, you can make this any time of year. Sounds good, no?

 

GOURMET'S MAC AND CHEESE

serves 6

 

1 1/3 C elbow macaroni

1 1/2 C heavy cream

1 T unsalted butter

1/4 C coarsely grated Italian Fontina cheese (1-oz)

1/4 C coarsely grated Gouda (1-oz)

1/2 C coarsely grated Cheddar, preferably smoked (2-oz)

1/2 t salt

1/4 C plain dry bread crumbs

4 large basil leaves

1 plum tomato, chopped.

 

1. Preheat broiler.

 

2. Cook macaroni in a 4-5 quart pot of boiling salted water until al dente, then drain in a colander.

 

3. Boil cream and butter in a 2-3 quart saucepan, uncovered, 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low, then add cooked macaroni, cheeses, salt and pepper and stir until cheeses melt. Transfer macaroni and cheese to a buttered 9 inch oval ceramic gratin dish or other flameproof shallow casserole dish and sprinkle evenly with bread crumbs.

 

4. Broil 5-7 inches from heat until browned and bubbling, 2-3 minutes. Thinly slice basil and sprinkle on top along with tomato.

FRENCH POTATO SALAD

After years of eating traditional, American potato salad filled with gloppy mayonnaise dressing in childhood and at endless church socials, I decided to try it French style, a la Julia Child, with perfectly cooked potatoes, herbs and a vinaigrette dressing. This is good any time of year but especially in the late spring and early summer with new potatoes, just formed under the warming ground, but you can use either white or red potatoes found in your grocery store all year round. Try to use potatoes of the same size so they'll cook evenly and be sure to add the dressing when they're still warm; the potatoes will absorb the dressing (rather than its just lying on top) and provide a richer flavor. This recipe calls for more dressing than you'll  need so don't use it all. Just dress the salad enough to wet the ingredients and then add more as necessary. The leftover dressing can be used for a regular salad. If you refrigerate this, be sure to let it come to room temperature before serving. In this case, a little more dressing may be needed.

 

FRENCH POTATO SALAD

serves 4-6

 

 

2 lb. small boiling potatoes (red or white, or a mixture of the two)

2 T good dry white wine

2 T chicken stock

3 T champagne vinegar

1/2 t Dijon mustard

2 t kosher salt

3/4 t freshly ground black pepper

10 T good extra virgin olive oil

1/4 C minced scallions

2 T fresh dill, minced

2 T fresh flat-leafed parsley, minced

2 T fresh basil leaves, chiffonade

 

1. Drop the potatoes into a large pot of boiling salted water and cook for 20-30 minutes, until just cooked through. Drain in a colander and place a dish towel over the potatoes to allow them to steam for another 10 minutes. (This will ensure that they're cooked all the way through.) As soon as you can handle them, cut in half (or quarters if they're large) and place in a medium bowl. Be sure not to overcook the potatoes so they won't become mushy. You can test them by piercing them with a sharp kitchen knife. If they pierce easily, they're done.

 

2. Toss gently with the wine and chicken stock. Allow the liquids to soak into the warm potatoes before proceeding.

 

3. Combine the vinegar, mustard, 1/2 t slat and 1/4 t pepper and whisk slowly with olive oil to make an emulsion (the mustard is essential for this). Add the vinaigrette to the potatoes. Add the scallions and herbs, 1 1/2 t salt and 1/2 t pepper and toss gently so as not to break up the potatoes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

 

Note: to make a chiffonade of basil leaves, just layer the leaves, roll them up tightly like a cigar and then cut them closely across the grain. This prevents bruising of the basil by just chopping it. And it's much easier.