Thanksgiving Flavours: GOOD GOOD MAC n CHEESE

Creamy, cheesy mac n cheese!

Hello again! Issue #13 of Unfiltered Flavours, GOOD GOOD MAC n CHEESE. Not all Mac n cheeses are equal and not everyone should be on Mac n cheese duty! This recipe is as solid as it gets, it’s creamy, slightly seasoned and super cheesy but in a good way!

Creamy Mac

Cheese selection is important because you want to ensure your cheeses melt well, whilst also not being too over powering. I used to swear by Gouda, but I’ve been using Gruyère lately. It’s got more flavour, slightly nutty and melts way better than Gouda! You also want to ensure you’re using a low moisture mozzarella if you can get hold of it. So this is the sort of mozzarella you’d use for mozzarella sticks. 

Monterey jack cheese

Now Mac n cheese needs to be seasoned, it doesn’t need to be OVERLY seasoned but it needs a lil something. It’s optional but I add just a touch of blended onion, you could also use mustard but essentially you want something a little sharp to cut through and balance the dish out. 

Ingredients 

500g pasta 

2 tbsp plain flour 

3 tbsp unsalted butter 

500ml evaporated milk 

500ml double cream 

300ml whole milk 

1 tsp pepper 

1 tsp paprika 

1-2 tsp salt 

1 tsp garlic powder 

2 tbsp of blended onion 

250g Aged Red Leicester or a sharp red cheese  

300g monetary jack or mild cheddar cheese 

200g low moisture mozzarella 

225g Gruyère  

2 tbsp cream cheese 

Method 

1. Preheat your oven to 175°c. Grate your cheeses, mix and pop to the side. Place the pasta on to boil and cook for 2 minutes less than the packet instructions.

2. To make the roux, over low- medium heat, whisk the butter and flour to form a paste. Allow this to cook for 2-3 minutes, this will cook out the raw flour, which ensures you don’t have a bitty, grainy mac n cheese

   

   when adding your evaporated milk, it should start to come together like thuis

3. Gradually add the cream and both milks (I advise making sure these have been gently warmed, not boiled.It helps the sauce come together quicker. Continuously whisk and make sure the heat is low–medium.

4. Now add the blended onion and seasoning cook for 1–2 minutes. Then add two-thirds of the cheese in two stages (remember to save a third of the cheese for coating).

   

   This is the texture of your sauce, before adding any seasoning or cheese. 

5. At this point you can kill the heat as the cheese will melt from the residual heat.Your cheese sauce should be thick enough to coat the back. Now combine this with your cooked pasta. 

6. Place into a 9x13 inch dish, starting with half your pasta. Then add a few sprinkles of cheese before topping with more pasta and a the remaining cheese. 

7. Place into the oven for 25 mins, then allow to cool for 10 minutes before enjoying