Food for thought
It is that time of year again. The days are getting longer, not just because the sun is up later, but because you probably are as well. You need some good food to keep you going. I am here to help.
Macaroni and cheese is probably a staple in many a student’s diet. And so it should be! It is versatile, quick to prepare, filling, and ever so cozy. But I would like to think that my particular take on it is just that little bit better. My secret? A hint of garlic.
Before getting into the preparation, I want to emphasize just how versatile this dish is. You can use any cheese you like; you can use more or less milk depending on how thick you like the sauce; you don’t even have to bake the dish! It also serves very well just as macaroni with cheese sauce. The main benefit to baking it is that it is easier to store and reheat.
Macaroni and Cheese à la Tom
Total preparation time is about 40 minutes and the recipe serves 4-6 depending on portion sizes.
Ingredients
- 3 cups dry macaroni
- 1 ½ cups milk (I use 3.8%)
- 1 cup cheese grated (I suggest 2/3 cup extra old cheddar, 1/3 cup gruyere or emmental)
- 1/3 cup Parmesan grated
- 1 handful of plain breadcrumbs
- 3 Tbsp butter
- 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1/8 tsp mustard powder
- 1 garlic clove finely chopped
- Salt
Procedure
- Set oven to broil.
- Boil large pot of salted water for macaroni.
- While water heats, make cheese sauce. You want to finish this before the macaroni is done cooking.
- In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, melt 3 Tbsp butter over medium-high heat.
- While butter is melting, chop garlic clove. Add to butter and reduce heat to medium low, stirring regularly to prevent from browning.
- Add 3 Tbsp flour to the saucepan and stir well to combine with butter.
- Slowly pour in 1 ½ cups of milk, stirring as you go, to prevent clumping. A small whisk can be useful, here, but a wooden spoon will do fine.
- Turn heat to high and continue stirring sauce at between 90 and 120 rpm, to ensure it does not burn.
- When sauce begins to bubble, reduce heat to medium and stir quickly for two minutes. The sauce should continue to bubble relatively vigorously as it cooks, but it must not be left to sit in the pan, because it will burn and become lumpy.
- After two minutes, remove sauce from heat, and cover with lid.
- If your water has boiled, now is the time to add the macaroni.
- While macaroni cooks, grate 1 cup of cheese into the sauce and stir it in to melt. If needed, place the saucepan on very low heat, remembering to stir.
- Add 1/8 tsp mustard powder and salt to taste.
- Butter an 8” x 8” x 3” (or equivalent volume) glass casserole dish.
- When macaroni is al dente, drain and add to casserole dish.
- Pour cheese sauce over macaroni and stir to coat evenly. Add more milk if needed.
- After spreading the macaroni evenly in the dish, dust the top with bread crumbs. Then grate Parmesan on top.
- Place dish under broiler until the top just begins to turn golden brown. Then remove from oven and serve.
- Pair with a dry rosé or a sauvignon blanc.
