Thomas Keller's Macaroni & Cheese

Gruyere cheese strands w/buttered & browned bread crumbs just before the oven

GB and I had a group of 10 of our good good friends over for dinner last Saturday night. For the first time ever, I decided to serve a baked ham for the protein (well, except for Easter). That ham recipe is coming, and I guarantee you, you won't make any other baked ham - ever - it's that good! 

We needed some sort of fantastic starchy side, and after looking around the internet, I decided on Thomas Keller's mac & cheese. This dish is NOT for the faint of heart! It calls for a pound of gruyere, 12 T. butter, 8 cups whole milk, etc., etc., BUT if you only have it once or twice a year, and don't eat the entire thing, what's the harm?? Delicious?? You could say so! 

I used shallots instead of onions as one of our guests hates onions (can't understand why).

I made this in the morning before our dinner - made the cheese sauce and then the macaroni and left them at room temperature - so that is what this recipe reflects, unlike the original.

1 lb. elbow macaroni

salt and white pepper, to taste

10 T. unsalted butter

1 C. flour

2 shallots, 1 minced and 1 whole

6 whole cloves

2 bay leaves

8 C. whole milk

1 1/4 lb. Gruyere cheese, grated (original called for Comte which I couldn't find - Gruyere was listed as a sub.)

white pepper, to taste

1 T. freshly ground nutmeg

1/3 C. panko bread crumbs

2 T. unsalted butter

Cook macaroni in a large pot of boiling water until al dente, according to package directions and your own crunch taste. Drain and if you are putting this together later, wash with cold tap water. Set aside in its cooking pot at room temperature. 

Add butter to a large pan and melt over medium-high heat. Cook minced scallions until golden, around 10 minutes. Stir in flour and incorporate into the butter, about 5 minutes. Stud the whole scallion with the 6 cloves. Add that and bay leaves to the pan. Add the milk and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and cook, stirring, wiping down the side and bottom often, until thickened, about 7 minutes or so. Strain the sauce through a fine-meshed sieve into another pan/bowl. When all is strained, put back into original washed pan. Place over medium low heat and add 3/4 of the grated cheese, fresh-grated nutmeg, salt and white pepper. Stir until the cheese is mostly melted. Set aside, covered. Melt the 2 T. butter in a small skillet and add the bread crumbs. Cook, stirring constantly, until bread crumbs are nicely browned.

When ready to put together, preheat oven to 375º. Warm cheese sauce over medium low heat and add the elbow macaroni. When just warmed through, taste and correct seasonings, then spoon into a 9" x 13" casserole dish (or equivalent). Cover the top with the reserved 1/4 cheese and sprinkle all with the toasted bread crumbs. Bake until golden and bubbly, about 45 - 50 minutes. 

And then? Just enjoy! 

YUM!

'till we feast again! 

xoabb