This week's Meatless Monday recipe comes from the one thing I cannot resist at the supermarket checkout. Candy bars and soda... no problem. Cooking magazines... kryptonite. Some time not that long ago, I picked up a copy of Fine Cooking's fresh: 350 recipes that Celebrate the Seasons. It was within these delicious glossy pages that I found inspiration for today's Meatless Monday.
Luxurious Four-Cheese Macaroni & Cheese
This is not your neon-orange-nutritionally-defunct-out-of-a-box-kid-crack macaroni & cheese, but a much more sophisticated-yet-down-home-comforting version that is sure to please adult and child palate alike. It uses Gruyere, Blue, Monterey Jack, and Parmesan cheeses. Now let me just say up front that I am not a fan of blue cheese and was extremely hesitant to try this recipe. However, since embarking on the Meatless Monday journey I have been forced to become more adventurous with our absence of meat, so I held my nose and reserved judgement for the final outcome. It was good! The blue cheese was detectable and I would probably decrease the amount used next time, but it was quite tasty nonetheless.
This recipe filled a 13x9 pan. Even small portions were deceivingly fulfilling. We were able to get several meals out of this one recipe. Any time I can cook once and eat a lot is a bonus in my book. Yep, this one is a keeper.
Luxurious Four-Cheese Macaroni & CheeseIngredients:Kosher salt3 cups whole milk (I used 2%)4 Tbs. unsalted butter1 medium onion, finely diced (about 1 cup)1 bay leaf1/4 cup all-purpose flourPinch freshly grated nutmeg1/4 tsp. Tabasco sauce; more to tasteFreshly ground black pepper5 oz. Gruyere, coarsely grated (about 1 3/4 cups lightly packed)1/2 lb. blue cheese, crumbled (about 2 cups; use less if not crazy about blue cheese)1 lb. dried penne rigate pasta1 Tbs. finely grated lemon zest11 oz. Monterey Jack, cut into 1/2-inch dice (2 cups - I used a vegetable medley Monterey Jack)1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley2 Tbs. fresh thyme leaves2 1/2 oz. Parmigiano-Reggiano, freshly grated (scant 1 cup)3/4 cup fresh breadcrumbs
Instructions:
- Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Put a large pot of well-salted water on to boil.
- Heat the milk in a small saucepan over medium-low heat to just below a simmer. Remove from heat and cover to keep hot. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the onion and bay leaf. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion starts to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the flour and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in the hot milk, bring to a simmer, and cook for 10 minutes, whisking frequently, until thickened and smooth. Season with 1 tsp. salt, the nutmeg, the Tabasco, and pepper to taste. Remove and discard the bay leaf. Stir in the Gruyere and blue cheese.
- Cook the pasta in the boiling water to al dente, following the package directions. Drain well and return to the pot. Toss the lemon zest and half of the Monterey Jack into the pasta while it is still hot; add the cheese sauce and quickly toss to combine. Stir in the parsley and thyme and transfer half of the pasta to a large (3-qt.) shallow casserole or lasagna pan (I used a 13x9 baking dish). Sprinkle with the remaining Monterey Jack and half of the Parmigiano; top with the remaining pasta. Sprinkle with the remaining Parmigiano and the breadcrumbs. Bake until bubbling and golden, 50 to 60 minutes. Let rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
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3 comments:
Wow! That Mac and Cheese looks scruptious. I'm going to try this recipe for my honey. He loves homemade mac n cheese!
Thanks
Yum, that looks great! Blue cheese can grow on you, much like the mold that makes it blue!
Great variation of Macaroni and Cheese. Thanks a lot for baking and sharing your recipe.
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