I know it's been a while, so I'll go ahead and dive right in with the good stuff. After this, you can throw out the easy mac, because you're only going to be cooking creamy, silky, rich, flavorful mac and cheese from scratch. This time around I went with a truffled mushroom mac and cheese, but as with any great recipe, the possibilities are endless. The essential building blocks of this recipe are roughly based on a classic french white sauce (that's right, I've been reading!), so once you've mastered this you can go in nearly any direction you choose! Make it a savory leek and pancetta dish, or leave out the pasta and turn it into a rich, chipotle queso dip. So many possibilities!
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| Mmmm... Cheesy |
Encumbered with budget restraints as I was, I opted for simple mix of white mushrooms and criminis. Morrels would make a good addition, as would shiitake or even some wild mushrooms. (Pro Tip: always go for the bulk mushrooms at the store, because you can hand select some shrooms of roughly equal size, and only buy as much as you need). I think i started with 10-12 oz..
First, cook mushrooms over medium to high heat in olive oil. Add a pinch of salt to help draw out moisture.
Next, take the mushrooms out, leaving the "juice" in the pan. Add a touch oil (if needed) and 1 good sized finely diced shallot. Add a clove of smashed garlic (if you don't have a garlic smasher, a micro plane works just as well, if not better). Give a quick stir and cook out, just until the shallots start to turn translucent and take on some of the color from the leftover juices,
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| I know, it doesn't look like much yet, but bear with me! |
Roux time! By this point much of that mushroom juice will have evaporated. Melt in 2-3 tablespoons of cubed, cold butter, then add a few tbsp of flour. Stir vigorously, and cook for several minutes to incorporate the roux and help cook out that raw flour taste.
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| A properly prepared roux. This base would be a great start to any number of stews or sauces. |
Now, white wine in, about 1/2 a cup. Briefly reduce, thickening the sauce and allowing the alcohol to cook off. At this point I added in about half a cup of mushroom stock I had leftover, and after a vigorous stir, mushrooms back in. A bunch of thyme, generous seasoning of black pepper, and just a pinch of salt (not too much, as the cheese will bring more salt later), and this stew was well on its way. Meanwhile, I had put the pasta on the boil to cook until just under al dente (5-6 min).
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| Does anybody out there actually know how to use a camera? Must be willing to work for food... |
After several minutes over low heat, the stock had started to reduce and thicken up a bit, kind of taking on a cream-of-mushroomy appearance. You know it's there if you can scrape a line in the bottom of the pot (pictured above). Now is the time to add in a generous portion of cream (or milk). Allow to cook down for a couple minutes, adding a dash more cream if needed.
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| Now we're getting somewhere |
Add in the pasta, cook for an additiaonl 2 minutes. Adding the past at this stage cooks it the rest of the way, and allows some of the starch in the pasta to cook into the sauce, for uniform adhesion. And now the moment you've been waiting for, Cheese In! I like cheddar for flavor and a nice melting cheese like Gruyere or Fontina for texture. Equal parts of each (hand shredded) and add it in stages to make sure you get a thick, melty texture without overdoing it.
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| Or add it all at once, like I apparently did... |
Finally, add a touch more butter (keeps it healthy) and salt and pepper to taste (if necessary). Finish with a dash of truffle oil (use very little; add a few drops, stir, taste, then correct as needed). If you overdo it with the truffle oil, i find a dash of extra virgin olive oil can help balance out the flavor.
Plate up, and serve with finely chopped herbs and shredded parmesian. I tried chives, but found the result a bit too oniony considering the sahllots. Parsely is always a fine choice, but some tarragon might really make it pop, with the anise-y flavor balancing out the earthiness of the truffle oil.
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| If you're a boss, shave some real white truffles on top instead |
Serve as an appetizer with a mellow white, or as the main course with a side of Brussels sprouts. Bring the leftovers to lunch and tell your co-workers it's Whole Foods Easy Mac. But please, don't actually buy that. Or any boxed macaroni product, for that matter. You know better than that now!
-Johno
