Unless you’re lactose intolerant, we’ve all had some really good mac n’ cheese at one point or another- right? Hopefully. My first really good macaroni n cheese was at Michael Symon’s Lola restaurant when it was still in Tremont. One of my friends, Hollis, insisted that we give it a shot because it was simply delicious. When I was looking at the menu I thought that it had better be for fifteen bucks. It was worth the money and the drive to Tremont. That has to have been ten or twelve years ago now and since then I’ve had a few good versions of this old standby.
The easiest recipe is to microwave some Stouffers Macaroni and Cheese. Although it’s commercially made, it’s pretty good in a pinch. I stay away from any boxed version- that orange powder just gives me the willies. If you’ve got a few extra minutes and a desire to make some really good homemade mac and cheese then this is your lucky day cause that’s what we’re going to be doing. It’s not a hard recipe so stick around.
Before we get into the nitty-gritty, why not talk about cheese for a minute. There are so many kinds out there that picking the right kind can be a really daunting task. Let’s start at square one: velveeta is not cheese. Now that that is settled, head to your local grocery store and check out the packed up cheese case. Find the one that has the fresh goat cheese, not the one with the cottage cheese. The cheeses that you find with the cottage cheese are less expensive, but they will be really oily when used in cooking. The ones in the actual cheese case should have a lower oil content which will help to prevent your mac n cheese from breaking. I’m writing macaroni n cheese all different ways because people refer to it so differently. Trying to appeal to the masses 
Many of the better grocery stores have someone who is in charge of the cheese case. The best thing to do is ask them for their 3 cheese options for a homemade mac and cheese recipe. Everyone will say something different and have good reason behind their suggestion. Be sure to ask questions- about the sharpness, how the cheese melts and if it becomes oily and breaks easily. I chose 2 hard cheeses and one soft cheese for this recipe. You can choose to do any combination- I made a cheesy mac one time with nine different cheeses. Something gets lost in translation with that many, but you can really do whatever you would like for this recipe. Let’s get cheesy.
Makes enough for 8 large servings of cheese-o-rific macaroni.
Ingredients for Homemade Macaroni and Cheese:
1.5 lbs dried Conchiglie (large elbow noodles)
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup all purpose flour
2 cups 1% or 2% milk
1.5 cups heavy cream
2 cups shredded cheddar (I used Middlefield) plus 1 cup held separate
2 cups Fontal Valle Alpina (white, mild melting cheese) plus 1 cup held separate
1/2 cup cubed Port Salut (soft, white cheese- sooo good)
Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
Pinch of cayenne
Pinch of fresh grated nutmeg
Salt & Fresh Ground Pepper
Ingredients for the Crunchy Topping:
2 large shallots, minced
2 large garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary (loose, not chopped)
2 tablespoons fresh thyme (loose, not chopped)
9 slices of baguette, about 1/3 inch thick on the bias
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
So where to start with all this good stuff. First, get a large pot of water starting to heat on the stove- cover the pot so it heats more quickly over high heat. Kick the oven into gear at 350 degrees. Toss the baguette into the oven while it is heating- bake them for about 20 minutes or until crisp. We’re going to use these for our fresh bread crumbs. By the time the bread is toasted, the water should be at a boil. Heavily salt the water and add the pasta. Cook the pasta until al dente. Do not overcook- it’s going to be cooked again in the oven. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking liquid and then strain the pasta. Cool under cold water to stop the cooking process. Set aside.
Toasted baguette and herbs ready to be pulverized Cuisinart style. Photo by Scott Groth
Okay then, onto the crunchy topping. Take out your food processor and put the toasted baguette, rosemary and thyme inside. Obliterate until you have herb bread crumbs. Just let this sit. Next, mince the shallots and garlic but keep separate from one another. Take out a medium sized sauté pan- it’s going to be too big for the time being but you will need the size later. Add in the butter and heat over medium-high heat. We’re going to brown the butter, so when some white stuff gathers near the top, it’s time to toss in the shallots. Once the shallots are in the pan, stir frequently, for about 4 minutes. Toss in the garlic, stir frequently to avoid burning, and cook for another minute. Remove the pan from the heat. Pour in the bread crumbs and mix around. Stir for about a minute off the heat to prevent burning. Set the crunchy topping aside.
Brown butter breadcrumbs... aka: Crunchy Topping. Photo by Scott Groth
For the actual cheese part of this recipe, I used a wide sauce pan that looked large enough to hold all the macaroni. You’re going to need to stir a lot during this part (we’re making a roux), so make sure you can get to the entire bottom of the pan. Make sure that you have your ingredients ready to go into the pot because this part goes pretty quickly. Mix the pepper flakes, cayenne and nutmeg into the flour now.
Stir the roux until it thickens. Photo by Scott Groth
First, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Then add in the flour. Cook for about 3 or 4 minutes- you want to cook some of the flour taste out but not brown the roux. This next part needs lots of stirring- add in the milk. Stir! Add in the cream. Stir! You should have had some bubbling going on and angry looking roux. Reduce the heat and continue to stir for about 8 to 10 minutes or until the sauce thickens. Start to add in the cheddar first. Stir to incorporate. Next in, the white melting cheese. Stir to incorporate. Lasty, the Port Salut (if using). Stir for 2-3 minutes. Give it a taste. Adjust the seasoning- add a little more salt than you think- the pasta will absorb some too.
Cheesy sauce ready for some pasta. Thick and rich. Photo by Scott Groth
Add in about 1/3 of the pasta. Stir. Repeat until all the pasta is in the pan. If it is too thick, add in some of the reserved pasta water to thin out a little. Pour 1/2 of the mac and cheese into a 9X13 baking dish. Spread 1/2 cup of each reserved cheese over the top. Spread in the remaining pasta and top with the remaining cheese. Sprinkle the crunchy topping over the whole dish, cover with foil and pop into the oven for 45 minutes.
Should be called super cheesy mac! Photo by Scott Groth
This mac n cheese is ready for the oven. Photo by Scott Groth
Remove the foil and let cook for 5 minutes. I made the mistake of broiling, which almost burned the garlic in the topping. It’s crunchy already, so no need to broil. Take out of the oven and let it rest on the counter for 5 minutes. This mac and cheese recipe should result in a thick, super creamy and rich macaroni and cheese that will fly off the plate. Serve with some toasted baguette and a side salad with a high acid content dressing to cut through the richness of the cheesy macaroni dish. We ate the pasta first and salad second to clear the palate. However you do it, this is one recipe that’s sure to make your favorite mac and cheese list. Dig in and enjoy.
This is some good macaroni and cheese. Enjoy. Photo by Scott Groth