Crazy-good Mac and Cheese
It’s hard to imagine a childhood without macaroni and cheese. We all have our own idea of the best version (usually your mother’s), but I wanted to incorporate certain things into my “ultimate” recipe. A creamy mac and cheese should have visible macaroni noodles and not be a solid brick of mushy starch. There needs to be lots of flavour from some of my favourite local artisanal cheeses, and a tangy zip to balance the richness. And there needs to be a golden, crunchy crust on top. After several tries, I found that a classic Mornay sauce with the addition of some store-bought Velveeta cheese (yes, you read that correctly) gave me the texture and balance that I desired. So, here it is. Make modifications if you like, but I feel confident that mac and cheese lovers will find this quite appealing.
In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook macaroni until firm to bite but about three-quarters cooked, 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer to the colander and drain under cold running water; set aside.
In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, melt butter and cook until bubbling; saute onion, salt, and pepper until onions are translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir in flour until incorporated. Gently whisk in milk, cream, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce and nutmeg; cook gently, whisking, until thickened and smooth. Reduce heat to low and gently simmer, stirring often, for 5 minutes. Stir in Velveeta, and 1 1⁄2 cups (375 mL) each of the Gruyere and Cheddar and 1 cup (250 mL) of the Parmesan; cook, stirring, until cheese is melted and sauce is smooth.
Fold reserved macaroni noodles into sauce; transfer to a large baking dish. In a bowl, stir together reserved Gruyere, Cheddar and Parmesan, butter, bread crumbs and crushed crackers; evenly spread over macaroni mixture. Bake in 350°F (180°C) oven until bubbling and golden brown, about 50 minutes.
Makes 8 servings, with leftovers
Ingredients
Directions
In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook macaroni until firm to bite but about three-quarters cooked, 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer to the colander and drain under cold running water; set aside.
In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, melt butter and cook until bubbling; saute onion, salt, and pepper until onions are translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir in flour until incorporated. Gently whisk in milk, cream, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce and nutmeg; cook gently, whisking, until thickened and smooth. Reduce heat to low and gently simmer, stirring often, for 5 minutes. Stir in Velveeta, and 1 1⁄2 cups (375 mL) each of the Gruyere and Cheddar and 1 cup (250 mL) of the Parmesan; cook, stirring, until cheese is melted and sauce is smooth.
Fold reserved macaroni noodles into sauce; transfer to a large baking dish. In a bowl, stir together reserved Gruyere, Cheddar and Parmesan, butter, bread crumbs and crushed crackers; evenly spread over macaroni mixture. Bake in 350°F (180°C) oven until bubbling and golden brown, about 50 minutes.
Makes 8 servings, with leftovers
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