In the last elimination challenge before the finals in the first season of Top Chef, a panel of judges including some of the most accomplished and discerning chefs in the country chose Dave’s truffle & cognac cream macaroni & cheese, filet of beef, and collard greens & radicchio as the winning dish. The filet and greens were criticized for being “afterthoughts” to the macaroni & cheese, which itself was the favorite dish of all the judges.
Let’s look at a common recipe for macaroni & cheese. If you look at steps 1-4, you will see that we are making a béchamel. This is one of the five mother sauces of French cuisine. It is basically a roux (equal parts butter and flour) and milk. It is the base for dozens of different sauces.
Next, we add cheese. The cheese melts into the sauce and is kept from coagulating by the starch granules that have swelled throughout the béchamel.
The sauce is combined with pasta in a casserole, topped with cheese, and baked.
This recipe calls for mustard powder and pepper. In my basic recipe, I also add Worcestershire sauce. I top it with buttered bread crumbs mixed with parmesan cheese toward the end of baking to get some browning and crunchiness. This makes a familiar dish with interesting flavors. It’s comfort food at this point, especially for a Catholic boy on Friday during Lent.
The whole process allows for variations throughout that can create anything from bold, simple flavors to an elegant subtle layering of flavors. When making the béchamel, one can sauté or sweat aromatics (shallots, garlic, onions, carrots, or leeks) in the butter before adding the flour for the roux. They can be left in for texture or strained out before adding the cheese. One can deglaze with white wine and reduce the liquid out before adding the milk. Herbs (or truffles) can be steeped in the sauce and removed or chopped and added just before the end. Wine (or cognac) can be added to the milk. Some people have successfully added citrus or vinegar for a delicious bite, but I haven’t done that successfully yet (it curdles on me). Pureed vegetables can be added. And, of course, bacon, prosciutto, or other seasoning meats can work well. All told, anything that can be done to vary a sauce can be done here as well. All of the talents of a skilled sauce maker can be brought to bear here.
Next we have the cheeses. Any good melting cheese will work here, and some semi-melting cheese can be added in small amounts. The flavors added to the sauce will highlight different aspects of the cheese, and vice-versa. The cheese will determine much of the richness and mouth feel of the final dish.
Macaroni & cheese works great with a sauce, but it can also be made with a custard. A custard can be thought of as a sauce thickened with eggs. So all the sauce variations described above can be applied to custards, although this will be more challenging to some cooks. Custards will have a creamier mouth feel, an excellent counterpoint to al dente pasta.
Next, the pasta. Shape – macaroni, twists, rigatoni – and content – semolina, whole wheat, or more exotic grains like quinoa, with or without spinach, peppers, tomatoes or other additions – will determine much of the texture of the overall dish. Vegetables – mushrooms, onions, eggplant, zucchini – and meat – sausage, ham, lobster, crab – can add flavor and texture.
Finally, the topping adds some crunch. Bread crumbs are the obvious choice, but broiled cheese, or crushed nuts all work. When done correctly, macaroni & cheese combines a creamy sauce or custard with chewy pasta and bit of nice crunch.
In short, macaroni & cheese can be a comfort food or a platform for highlighting dozens of savory ingredients. Although basic recipes are within the reach of any cook, advanced cooks can use it as a worthy showcase of their talents.
It is truly a wonderful dish, well-deserving of respect.
[ March 19, 2008, 10:09 PM: Message edited by: Dagonee ]
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
*drools*
Posted by Eaquae Legit (Member # 3063) on :
*(&%^$ you. Making me crave things like this is evil. Neither my waistline nor my wallet can afford me making this tomorrow.
Posted by Puffy Treat (Member # 7210) on :
There was a wonderful cookbook out about a decade ago ("Loony Spoons"? Something like that) which included a couple of low-fat (but not low taste and non-creamy) macaroni and cheese.
And even a hint at how to make the Kraft stuff better.
Such recipes were a great help to me on my mission.
Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :
quote:*(&%^$ you. Making me crave things like this is evil. Neither my waistline nor my wallet can afford me making this tomorrow.
Then I suppose I shouldn't mention that it can be breaded and deep fried the next day. Posted by Pegasus (Member # 10464) on :
If you mix Chili in with Kraft Mac & Cheese, it's pretty darn good. (for those eating on the cheap)
I'll pass this recipe on to my wife, she has been trying new things lately, it's been fun. Posted by Eaquae Legit (Member # 3063) on :
You really shouldn't.
Although, I admit a purely academic curiosity as to how that actually works.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
quote:Originally posted by Dagonee:
quote:*(&%^$ you. Making me crave things like this is evil. Neither my waistline nor my wallet can afford me making this tomorrow.
Then I suppose I shouldn't mention that it can be breaded and deep fried the next day.
Oh, dear God! [/Dr. Cox]
Posted by MightyCow (Member # 9253) on :
After you deep fry it, you can dip it into dark chocolate and candied pecans for dessert.
Posted by Threads (Member # 10863) on :
Cheap canned crab tastes good mixed in with macaroni and cheese.
Posted by MightyCow (Member # 9253) on :
I like to use canned chicken with my mac and cheese too. Turns a tasty snack into a tasty meal.
Posted by Tara (Member # 10030) on :
You're the cheese to my macaroni!
Posted by littlemissattitude (Member # 4514) on :
Thank you, Dag. You've done the almost impossible...made me hungry again almost immediately after I finished eating dinner.
Granted, dinner was sourdough toast and two tangelos, but I thought it was more than enough (since it was warm here today, and I don't eat much when it is warm) until I read your post.
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
I have a confession; I don't like macaroni and cheese, except for the store-brand stuff in a box.
Yeah.
Posted by quidscribis (Member # 5124) on :
With ketchup. Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
Indeed.
Posted by xnera (Member # 187) on :
There are restaurants that specialise in macaroni & cheese. I'd love to go to one someday.
Mmm.... macaroni & cheese.
Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :
Oooh, Manchego and fennel. Good one.
An andouille sausage. Excellent ideas.
Posted by Ela (Member # 1365) on :
Darn it, Dag, you made me hungry for homemade macaroni and cheese.
I like the idea of adding worcestershire, maybe I'll try it next time. I have been adding the mustard powder. I season the breadcrumb topping with dried oregano and basil, and I often use wheat germ.
Also, because I am a weird healthfood freak and I was always trying to get more protein into our mostly vegetarian diet, especially for the sake of my growing children, I have sometimes used some soy flour when making the bechamel. We don't really taste it much, but I suspect many people wouldn't like the taste, as it is somewhat different than using wheat flour.
Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :
quote: Darn it, Dag, you made me hungry for homemade macaroni and cheese.
That is, of course, the point of the thread.
Does soy flour thicken as well as wheat flour? Thickening isn't nearly as crucial when you're adding cheese to it, but in a lot of other uses that will matter.
There are lots of pastas that can add more protein - including soy, quinoa, and whole wheat.
I've been meaning to play around with soy flour in my bread machine.
Posted by breyerchic04 (Member # 6423) on :
Is the Mac and Cheese dead?
Posted by Eaquae Legit (Member # 3063) on :
quote:Originally posted by Ela: Darn it, Dag, you made me hungry for homemade macaroni and cheese.
I like the idea of adding worcestershire, maybe I'll try it next time. I have been adding the mustard powder. I season the breadcrumb topping with dried oregano and basil, and I often use wheat germ.
Also, because I am a weird healthfood freak and I was always trying to get more protein into our mostly vegetarian diet, especially for the sake of my growing children, I have sometimes used some soy flour when making the bechamel. We don't really taste it much, but I suspect many people wouldn't like the taste, as it is somewhat different than using wheat flour.
You could always give seitan a try and add that in instead of canned tuna or ham.
Posted by Ela (Member # 1365) on :
quote:Originally posted by Dagonee: Does soy flour thicken as well as wheat flour? Thickening isn't nearly as crucial when you're adding cheese to it, but in a lot of other uses that will matter.
It thickens well enough for mac and cheese.
We tend to stick to normal durum wheat pasta, as the various other varieties start to get expensive.
quote:Originally posted by Eaquae Legit: You could always give seitan a try and add that in instead of canned tuna or ham.
I dispise seitan.
I don't generally add tuna to my mac and cheese - I am a mac and cheese purist. I have other casserole recipes containing both pasta and cheese, but they are not "mac and cheese."
And I don't eat ham.
Posted by Eaquae Legit (Member # 3063) on :
*facepalm* Right. Sorry about the ham.
Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :
quote:Originally posted by Eaquae Legit: *facepalm* Right. Sorry about the ham.
Maybe she could go with shrimp instead.
Posted by Rakeesh (Member # 2001) on :
Throw some cow parts in there!
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
quote:Originally posted by Noemon:
quote:Originally posted by Eaquae Legit: *facepalm* Right. Sorry about the ham.
Maybe she could go with shrimp instead.
Or blood sausage!
Posted by Glenn Arnold (Member # 3192) on :
My daughter puts curry in her Mac and Cheese. It's surprisingly good.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
The good news is I'm not craving macaroni and cheese anymore . . .
(Edit: Glenn, that was not in response to your post.)
Posted by Elizabeth (Member # 5218) on :
Re: Adding lemon to mac and cheese, Dag wrote:
"but I haven’t done that successfully yet (it curdles on me)."
Try adding a little of the warm bechamel sauce TO the lemon juice, before mixing it in.
Posted by Shawshank (Member # 8453) on :
I hate macaroni and cheese. Period.
Am I the only one?
Posted by Morbo (Member # 5309) on :
Yes. No redemption for you!
Posted by Shawshank (Member # 8453) on :
Awww.... Sad day.
Posted by MightyCow (Member # 9253) on :
I made some of the delicious concoction for dinner tonight. It was fantastic - I added chopped bacon and extra cheese to the top Posted by Rakeesh (Member # 2001) on :
Macaroni and cheese is one of those foods that is so fundamental (in the sense that there's really not a lot of pizazz to it) that saying you hate it is really more like saying you hate cheese or pasta.
And yes, someone did ask. I'm just not sayin'.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
My daughter dislikes cheese. And eggs.
This makes dinner a challenge.
Posted by Shawshank (Member # 8453) on :
The only kind of cheese I like is on pizza. Any other cheese is something I really don't like.
Posted by Ela (Member # 1365) on :
quote:Originally posted by ketchupqueen:
quote:Originally posted by Noemon:
quote:Originally posted by Eaquae Legit: *facepalm* Right. Sorry about the ham.
Maybe she could go with shrimp instead.
Or blood sausage!
Posted by Elizabeth (Member # 5218) on :
Is blood sausage the same as blood pudding? Ugh.
As for mac and cheese, I love trying different variations. My favorite lately has been the recipe on the back of the Barilla pasta box, but they changed it! At forst, it had only half a box of macaroni, now it calls for a whole box. I liked the first version better, as it was more creamy and custard-like. Let's see, from memory it was:
1/4 cup butter 1/4 cup flour 1 t.mustard salt 5 cups milk 4 cups cheese 1/2 box macaroni, cooked
They had you leave about two cups of cheese fo the top, but I found it got too easily burned. My kids hate the crumbage, so this was a good one for them. It was close to a Howard Johnson's style mac and cheese, but had half its ancestry as a country style, which I grew up with, made with sharp local cheddar, breadcrumbs, and which had more of a sticky than a creamy consistency.
Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :
quote:Try adding a little of the warm bechamel sauce TO the lemon juice, before mixing it in.
Thanks. I know that trick for eggs, but didn't think to try it for the lemon juice.
quote:I made some of the delicious concoction for dinner tonight. It was fantastic - I added chopped bacon and extra cheese to the top
Excellent! My plan proceeds.
quote:My daughter dislikes cheese. And eggs.
This makes dinner a challenge.
Indeed. Is it just noticeable eggs, or eggs in batters and such, too?
quote:My daughter puts curry in her Mac and Cheese. It's surprisingly good.
Interesting. That would really cry out for something just a little acidic with it.
quote:My favorite lately has been the recipe on the back of the Barilla pasta box
Elizabeth, that's very close to my own - the big difference is the Worcestershire. That's a lot of sauce for the pasta, though. Yummy.
I'm finding I prefer spirals to regular macaroni - better sauce clinging and chewiness.
Posted by Elizabeth (Member # 5218) on :
Yes, I might also try it with an even larger pasta, like ziti.
My son pours Frank's hot sauce on his mac and cheese. I like it that way also, but I tend to be a purest. Macaroni and cheese is all about salt and pepper.
Posted by Elizabeth (Member # 5218) on :
Sharp cheddar and Wrocestershire sauce are a pair created in Heaven, for sure. I love to dip my grilled cheese sandwiches in it. It would make sense to put it in mac and cheese.
Posted by Primal Curve (Member # 3587) on :
This made me think of Chicken Riggies which are mighty tasty.
Posted by Eaquae Legit (Member # 3063) on :
I am thinking of a soft melty goat cheese and wensleydale. I've had success with both in unusual ways before, so it's possible they would make a very creamy-tasting and mellow mac and cheese.
Posted by Elizabeth (Member # 5218) on :
I just don;t understand people's obsession with chocolate. Cheese is where it's at.
What is Wensleydale? Can I get it here in Massachusetts?
Posted by dkw (Member # 3264) on :
I was so excited to try Wensleydale when we were in London, having heard so much about it from Wallace and Grommit.
I didn't like it.
But the white cheddar we had there was excellent.
Posted by Elizabeth (Member # 5218) on :
Can you describe it, Dana? Would Whole Foods have it?
Posted by Dan_raven (Member # 3383) on :
I have a niece that for the past 3 years has existed soley on Mac& Cheese. She refuses to eat anything else. Sadder still--it must be Kraft, and it must be cooked as she likes it. Alas, she lives to far away for me to try and cure her of this dangerous eating behavior.
My Aunt (other side of the family) had to babysit my son a couple of years ago. She went to extremes to cook him home made Mac & Cheese, since that is what he wanted.
When her 50 year old son came over and saw that, he whined "you never made homemade Mac & Cheese for me."
She replied, "Your not as cute."
Five year old Sasha confided to him later, "It really wasn't that good. I like it out of the box better."
When this got out my Aunt was devastated. We gave her a case of Kraft Mac & Cheese for Christmas that year.
Posted by Epictetus (Member # 6235) on :
The only place I found that sold Wensleydale near my home closed down a couple of years ago. Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
Now I need mac and cheese (from a box, of course. Though as I said I prefer store-brand to Kraft.
With ketchup.)
Posted by dkw (Member # 3264) on :
Sorry Liz, I really can't. It was three years ago and I had a bad cold. I just remember not liking the flavor much and being very disapointed.
Posted by dkw (Member # 3264) on :
quote:First made by the Cistercian Monks at Jervaulx Abbey in Wensleydale, using milk from their herds, this cheese is now produced according to a time honored traditional recipe by the Wensleydale Creamery in Hawes, northwest of Yorkshire. It's full creamy flavor offers a clean, lemony tang which tends to sharpen with age. Firm and flaky, but not by any means dry, this pasteurized cow's milk Wensleydale is fragrantly sweet and perfectly paired with fresh fruits such as pears, grapes, and apples.
From igourmet. Which is a good place to order hard-to-find cheeses, if you don't mind paying exorbitant shipping costs.
Posted by Glenn Arnold (Member # 3192) on :
quote:Re: Adding lemon to mac and cheese, Dag wrote:
"but I haven’t done that successfully yet (it curdles on me)."
Try adding a little of the warm bechamel sauce TO the lemon juice, before mixing it in.
If I was going to put lemon in a cream sauce, I'd just make Hollandaise. Now that I'm thinking of it, I should try melting cheese into Hollandaise to see what it's like.
quote:I was so excited to try Wensleydale when we were in London, having heard so much about it from Wallace and Grommit.
I didn't like it. [Frown]
I had the same experience. We were looking for lunch at a store in York, and they had Wensleydale sandwiches, so we got all excited. It had the texture of muenster, but bland, with a slightly unpleasant... something.
I've since seen it at Hanneford.
quote: quote:My daughter puts curry in her Mac and Cheese. It's surprisingly good.
Interesting. That would really cry out for something just a little acidic with it.
She puts something else in it too, but I can't remember what it was. She just used a little curry. It took me a minute to figure out what the flavor was, because it was subtle. I'll try to get her recipe.
Posted by pooka (Member # 5003) on :
I just cook noodles and then put some butter in the pan and some shredded cheese. I don't mess around with bechamel sauce usually.
Posted by Eaquae Legit (Member # 3063) on :
Didn't have cheddar for quesadillas a while back, so we ended up using wensleydale because we did have it in the fridge. It was yummy.
Posted by Elizabeth (Member # 5218) on :
Guess what I, the woman trying like heck to lose weight, just bought? Macaroni. Cheddar. Milk.
Thanks, Dag.
Oh, and it was not the Barilla box, but the Ronzoni box!
Posted by cmc (Member # 9549) on :
; ) to Morbo...
Blood sausage is something that is absolutely nasty and disgusting to me even as a concept. That's haggus (sp?), right? At a B&B in Scotland last year, some of the people I was with were brave enough to get it with breakfast. Ick. Ick. Ick.
Mac and cheese, though... That's a whole different story... I think it's good with tuna and peas. This coming from someone who doesn't even normally like peas...
Posted by Elizabeth (Member # 5218) on :
No, Haggis is something else involving a bladder or stomach stuffed with other intestinal parts.
Blood sausage is made with coagulated blood. From reading Outlander, I think blood sausage might be made with blood pudding. When she was making sausage, she would wait until the pig's blood coagulated, then scoop it out.
Oh dear, now I feel queasy!
Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :
You're welcome, Liz! Enjoy!
Posted by maui babe (Member # 1894) on :
quote:Originally posted by ketchupqueen: Now I need mac and cheese (from a box, of course. Though as I said I prefer store-brand to Kraft.
With ketchup.)
Eww. Just eewwww
Posted by imogen (Member # 5485) on :
I think mac&cheese may be on the menu tonight.
I have some leftover yummy pureed cauliflower and garlic that I think I'll put into the bechamal. And parmesan and aged cheddar. Yum.
And wholemeal pasta, in an attempt to pretend it's somewhat healthy.
Posted by Uprooted (Member # 8353) on :
I do try to eat whole grains whenever possible, but for mac and cheese . . . well, let's just say it doesn't really approximate the experience for me.
I also don't like lumpy stuff like meat or veggies in my mac n' cheese. And I really hate to say it, but while I would probably never go to the trouble of frying my leftovers, I would probably eat it if Dag made it for me, LOL!
Anyway, after reading this thread I turned to my local paper, which mentioned that someone in my town was a finalist in a Good Morning America/Emeril Mac n' Chese contest, so I thought I'd share that link:
Most of the homemade mac n cheese I've had, I haven't liked, but I think that's because they're all cheddar based and I don't really like cheddar. One day I'll get around to making mac n cheese with some good cheese.
As to blood sausage, it sounds a lot more disgusting than it is. It's actually pretty tasty.
Posted by breyerchic04 (Member # 6423) on :
I'm assuming but not positive that Wensleydale is a sheep cheese. They're very long wooled sheep, a friend of mine was spinning some fiber from one the other day and it was really annoying and long.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
quote:Originally posted by Dagonee:
quote:My daughter dislikes cheese. And eggs.
This makes dinner a challenge.
Indeed. Is it just noticeable eggs, or eggs in batters and such, too?
Just noticeable eggs. But that rules out omelets and frittatas. (Except when I decide she can just suffer. ) And she will tolerate small amounts of cheese on pizza or pasta, and the rest of us add more.
Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :
quote:But that rules out omelets and frittatas.
And quiche.
quote:I think mac&cheese may be on the menu tonight.
I have some leftover yummy pureed cauliflower and garlic that I think I'll put into the bechamal. And parmesan and aged cheddar. Yum.
Excellent choice. Please post the results.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
quote:Originally posted by Dagonee:
quote:But that rules out omelets and frittatas.
And quiche.
SHHHHHH! I don't think she's figured that out.
Nah, she knows what's in them. And while she has occasionally grumbled about the amount of cheese, she actually like quiche ok.
I love having a teenager! Posted by dkw (Member # 3264) on :
quote:Originally posted by breyerchic04: I'm assuming but not positive that Wensleydale is a sheep cheese. They're very long wooled sheep, a friend of mine was spinning some fiber from one the other day and it was really annoying and long.
Nope. All of it I've seen has been cow's milk.
Wiki says it was origianly make from ewe's milk but shifted to cow's milk in the 1300s.
Posted by Elizabeth (Member # 5218) on :
That's like yesterday, Dana.
Posted by breyerchic04 (Member # 6423) on :
I saw that too after I typed. Looks like another of those weird regions with all their animals named the same thing.
Posted by The Genuine (Member # 11446) on :
I just boil the pasta 'till limp, and then dump American cheese in and boil it until the consistency is right.
Shit. I sound like Snowdrop, don't I?
Posted by imogen (Member # 5485) on :
quote:Originally posted by Dagonee:
quote:I think mac&cheese may be on the menu tonight.
I have some leftover yummy pureed cauliflower and garlic that I think I'll put into the bechamal. And parmesan and aged cheddar. Yum.
Excellent choice. Please post the results.
It was good. I ended up using regular pasta (big spirals) as I had some open. I also added tuna, so there was some more protein - does it still count as macncheese with tuna?
Anyway, I melted some butter and softened some thinly sliced garlic in it until it was smelling great and just starting to turn golden brown. Then I added the flour, made my roux, cooked it a little and then added the milk. Made the bechamal - I actually added the brine from the tuna at the end as well, to intensify the tuna flavour. Then I stirred through the cauliflower puree (which was made from cauliflower, a little olive oil, roast garlic and a little milk) as well as grated aged cheddar and grana padano. I had previously par cooked the pasta, and I added that and the tuna chunks to the bechamal mix, added some freshly ground black pepper (no salt as the brine was salty enough), stirred it all through and popped in into my little casserole dish with some extra cheese grated on top.
About half an hour in the oven, 15 minutes covered so it cooked, 15 minutes uncovered to brown the cheese and crisp the top up nicely. Yum.
The cauliflower was a great addition - it thickened the bechamel, but didn't absorb any moisture as it cooked, so the pasta finished its cooking nicely. It added a nice subtle flavour - a gentle sweetness.
And I have leftovers for lunch.
Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :
Oh, wow. That sounds amazing. Did you cook the cauliflower before pureeing it?
Edit: also, how much cauliflower compared to the sauce?
I have to actually get off my butt and cook some soon.
Posted by imogen (Member # 5485) on :
Yeah, I'd made the cauliflower the night before, to have in lieu of mashed potatoes. I boiled it until it was tender but not mushy, then pureed it in the food processor with the garlic. Oh, I'd first roasted some cumin and coriander off in some olive oil in the pot and very gently sauteed the cauliflower in that before I added the water to boil it.
After pureeing, I returned it to the heat, stirred through milk and little parmesan till it looked like the right consistency to me. I would have added butter, but we'd run out.
Very approximate proportions only I'm afraid - the cauliflower was 1/3 the proportion of bechamel, I guess. It incorporated really easily though.
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
So it was kinda like a cream of cauliflower soup thing. I could get behind that.
I made a really great pasta and cheese dish for KPC's graduation that everyone was WILD over, and it was really simple. I am trying to remember it all... It involved butter, flour, milk, shredded mozzarella, and Boursin (the garlic herb kind-- I don't think the fig and nut kind would be as good, though interesting ) over mini shells...
Posted by imogen (Member # 5485) on :
The texture of the cauliflower was much more like mashed (well, whipped, I guess) potatoes than soup. I drained all the water off before pureeing. But same essential ingredients, yes. Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
Right, but my quick sub for cream of potato soup in casseroles is to add mashed potatoes to a white sauce. The finished sauce is what I was referencing. Posted by Elizabeth (Member # 5218) on :
quote:Originally posted by imogen: The texture of the cauliflower was much more like mashed (well, whipped, I guess) potatoes than soup. I drained all the water off before pureeing. But same essential ingredients, yes.
I went over to a friend's house for dinner once, and she was on the South Beach diet. She made the most wonderful mashed cauliflower.
As for soup, I make a cream of cabbage soup which is really good, which would also work with cauliflower. It is basically onions and leeks cooked in a bit of butter, add about half a head of cabbage, our over a large can of chicken broth, cut a big potato, and add about a tablespoon of caraway seeds. Puree most, leaving some chunks if you want(I reserve about a cup)I then add a can of condensed skim milk. It is really, really good. I was thinking it would be good with bits of bacon, ham, or kielbasa, and would be divine with a bit of cheddar cheese.
Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :
quote:Very approximate proportions only I'm afraid - the cauliflower was 1/3 the proportion of bechamel, I guess. It incorporated really easily though.
That's all the information I needed. Thanks!
Posted by Elizabeth (Member # 5218) on :
I made the Ronzoni Macaroni and cheese, and it came out too souffle-like. What can I do to take away the "puff?"
Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :
Possibly less flour and butter?
I'm not sure what else could make it puff.
Posted by breyerchic04 (Member # 6423) on :
Eggs?
Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :
That was my first thought, but the recipe she posted didn't have any.
Posted by Elizabeth (Member # 5218) on :
No eggs in the recipe, but I think you are correct about the flour. There is also quite a bit of milk in it.
Posted by breyerchic04 (Member # 6423) on :
I didn't go back and look, so I couldn't remember. I don't think i'd mind it being too souffle like if it didn't involve eggs (I don't like quiche and similar things).
Posted by Ela (Member # 1365) on :
There's a great recipe for a mac and cheese with cauliflower in one of my vegetarian cookbooks. It calls for the addition of Dijon mustard and a pinch of nutmeg to the bechamel. The cauliflower is cut up and sauteed with chopped tomato, chopped onion, minced garlic and chopped basil. The cheeses used are parmesan and mozarella.
It's yummy, but I don't make it much cause it's a project to make it.
Posted by Elizabeth (Member # 5218) on :
Ela, this is a weird question but by any chance did I give you my Cabbagetown Cafe cookbook? I cannot find it anywhere, and I remember giving away a couple of books to a vegetarian friend(and I can;t remember which friend), but can't imagine that I would have given my favorite cookbook away!
(I know it is, in reality, in one of my many piles, but thought I'd check)
Do you have that cookbook? I really need the lasagna recipe from it. I know it mostly by heart, but I still want it.
Posted by Elizabeth (Member # 5218) on :
Also, with this batch of mac and cheese, I made the sauce very smooth. Maybe I should have left the cheese a bit chunkier?
Posted by Shan (Member # 4550) on :
You all are killing my good intentions, here . . . I just went to a vegetarian cooking class yesterday and was excited to try out the non-dairy mac-n-cheese . . . and now I'm just plain scared again.
*sniffs*
Posted by Ela (Member # 1365) on :
quote:Originally posted by Elizabeth: Ela, this is a weird question but by any chance did I give you my Cabbagetown Cafe cookbook? I cannot find it anywhere, and I remember giving away a couple of books to a vegetarian friend(and I can;t remember which friend), but can't imagine that I would have given my favorite cookbook away!
(I know it is, in reality, in one of my many piles, but thought I'd check)
Do you have that cookbook? I really need the lasagna recipe from it. I know it mostly by heart, but I still want it.
Nope, you have never give me any cookbooks. And I have never seen that particular cookbook. Posted by Elizabeth (Member # 5218) on :
Rats. Which reminds me of rat cheese, which is what we used to call our local New York cheddar, that is still my favorite cheese in the worls.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
quote:Originally posted by rivka:
quote:Originally posted by Dagonee:
quote:But that rules out omelets and frittatas.
And quiche.
SHHHHHH! I don't think she's figured that out.
Nah, she knows what's in them. And while she has occasionally grumbled about the amount of cheese, she actually like quiche ok.
I love having a teenager!
I asked her about this on the drive home. I quote: "But quiches don't taste like eggs! Not the way omelets do." (My reaction: )
She also reminded me that she likes hard-boiled (but NOT soft-boiled) eggs.
Posted by Glenn Arnold (Member # 3192) on :
Just in case anybody's interested, my daughter's recipe includes curry, oregano, and black pepper. The oregano is the most prominent of the flavors, but she does it by taste and has no idea what the proportions are.
Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :
Learning to season and spice by taste is one of the hardest things to learn about cooking, but also the most rewarding. It allows much more improvisational cooking.
And the process is fun. Posted by Elizabeth (Member # 5218) on :
Yes, perhaps, on the improvising. In general, though, I am annoyed by the "I am way too cool for a recipe" attitude. Some things taste good because you follow a recipe, and a cook is not a better cook just because they improvise.
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
I have learned over the years to both 1) season by taste-- really, in my case, usually smell and 2) estimate amounts of what I'm doing, so I can reproduce it or allow someone else to. If I really like an alteration of a recipe I got somewhere else I'll jot down notes on the recipe (using recipezaar I can even do this with online recipes with no printouts!) so I remember what I did.
Posted by imogen (Member # 5485) on :
I often follow a recipe for a specific dish, but when I'm cooking stuff that's fairly easy and I've done before (or variants of the same before) I just guesstimate. It's not because I think I'm too cool for a recipe, but more because it's easier then bothering with measuring cups/scales etc.
I *always* follow a recipe when I'm baking, however. Otherwise things go very, very wrong.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
quote:Originally posted by imogen: It's not because I think I'm too cool for a recipe, but more because it's easier then bothering with measuring cups/scales etc.
Amen.
quote:Originally posted by imogen: I *always* follow a recipe when I'm baking, however. Otherwise things go very, very wrong.
Bread is pretty forgiving. Otherwise, I pretty much agree.
The supermarkets have Passover stuff on sale (they're anticipating a bit -- there's almost a month). Including this (I actually saw another brand, but it's pretty much the same stuff). Now, making "pasta" for Pesach is not new -- there's been pasta made from matza meal (ground matza) for 10-15 years, and recipes like this one with non-pasta "pasta" are common.
But see where it says "Gluten-Free" and "Non-Gebrokts"? That's because this "pasta" was made without any grain at all. It's made of eggs, potato starch, and not much else. *shudder*
Posted by Ela (Member # 1365) on :
I have to admit to not following recipes to the letter at all. Part of it is for the reason imogen mentioned (too much trouble to measure - I just guesstimate). The other part is that I often add ingredients to my own taste - I know I'll like more of certain seasonings and less of others (especially sugar and salt) in many recipes, just based on my experience from the past.
So I pretty much always fiddle with recipes. Posted by ElJay (Member # 6358) on :
I'm just too lazy to use/wash measuring cups.
Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :
quote: In general, though, I am annoyed by the "I am way too cool for a recipe" attitude. Some things taste good because you follow a recipe, and a cook is not a better cook just because they improvise.
It has nothing to do with "I'm too cool for a recipe." There are lots of factors, including:
1.) Sometimes I'm cooking based on what I have in the cupboard. Being able to season and spice to taste gives me the confidence to make something that's at least edible and often quite tasty.
2.) If I'm trying duplicate something I've tasted, there's really no other way to do it.
3.) I like to play with recipes. I couldn't do this reliably until I got better at seasoning and spicing to taste. I'm still not great at it, which leads me to ...
4.) It's good practice.
5.) Many fresh ingredients vary considerably. For example, tomatoes vary in sweetness and acidity. Being able to adjust the seasoning and spice allows me to produce a better dish.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
I agree with everything Dags, ElJay, and Ela said.
Also, improvising may not make one a better cook. Being able to improvise certainly does.
Posted by Elizabeth (Member # 5218) on :
I appreciate all of your feedback, but I remain annoyed by the attitude. It is a sort of holier-than-thou thing.
On the other hand, I always remember the scene in Dandelion Wine when the daughter-in-law organizes the grandmother's kitchen, makes her use a cookbook, and all of her food tastes like crap.
Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :
Can you clarify whether you think any of the statements in this thread exhibited that attitude to you?
Posted by Elizabeth (Member # 5218) on :
Not really, it just reminded me of annoyances at other times, I guess.
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
quote:Also, improvising may not make one a better cook. Being able to improvise certainly does.
I would modify that to read "Being able to improvise effectively certainly does". I've known cooks who improvise regularly who would be far better off following a recipe.
With that said, I enjoy improvising in the kitchen. Its fun, I learn from it and I often come up with better results than when I follow a recipe.
When I was diagnosed with gluten intolerance and was suddenly unable to cook with most of the ingredients in common recipes, being able to improvise literally saved me. If I were limited only to gluten free recipes, my culinary life would be a lot more boring. That's even more important to me now that I'm living in a country where I can't easily buy many of the gluten free products available in North America and Europe.
BTW Dagonee, A good homemade Macaroni and Cheese is one of my comfort foods as well. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find a source of gluten free macaroni locally here in Trinidad. Your lead post made me crave the stuff. Way to twist the knife in the wound.
Posted by Achilles (Member # 7741) on :
This thread keeps making me think of culturing some crème fraîche.
Posted by dkw (Member # 3264) on :
Can you get rice flour and make your own pasta? It wouldn't have to be elbow-shaped.
Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :
quote:I would modify that to read "Being able to improvise effectively certainly does". I've known cooks who improvise regularly who would be far better off following a recipe.
quote:BTW Dagonee, A good homemade Macaroni and Cheese is one of my comfort foods as well. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find a source of gluten free macaroni locally here in Trinidad. Your lead post made me crave the stuff. Way to twist the knife in the wound.
I'm sorry.
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
quote:Originally posted by dkw: Can you get rice flour and make your own pasta? It wouldn't have to be elbow-shaped.
I've never been successful making pasta with rice flour. I used to make pasta with wheat semolina all the time but it simply doesn't work with rice. I've tried to find out how they make commercial rice noodles but haven't succeeded.
I have been able to find asian rice noodles here, just not macaroni (or anything tube shaped). The hole in the middle is important for creating macaroni and cheese with the right texture.
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
Also, In response to an earlier question about soy flour, I don't recommend using it (or any other bean flour) in a rue. I can make a good rue with rice flour but soy flour just doesn't seem to have the right starches in it.
Also, you don't use enough flour of any kind in a Bechamel sauce to be able to significantly enhance the protein content by using soy flour.
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
quote:Originally posted by Dagonee:
quote:I would modify that to read "Being able to improvise BTW Dagonee, A good homemade Macaroni and Cheese is one of my comfort foods as well. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find a source of gluten free macaroni locally here in Trinidad. Your lead post made me crave the stuff. Way to twist the knife in the wound.
I'm sorry.
You're forgiven, Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
quote:Originally posted by The Rabbit:
quote:Also, improvising may not make one a better cook. Being able to improvise certainly does.
I would modify that to read "Being able to improvise effectively certainly does". I've known cooks who improvise regularly who would be far better off following a recipe.
Heh. Good point.
I'd offer to mail you some of the Passover mac'n'cheese, but they're frozen . . . Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
What is the passover mac'n'cheese made from? Is it potato based or something else?
I've been told that rice is considered "Hemetz" by Askenazy Jews but not by Sefartic Jews. What about new world "grains" like quinoa and amaranth?
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
quote:Originally posted by The Rabbit: What is the passover mac'n'cheese made from? Is it potato based or something else?
Potato-based.
quote:Originally posted by The Rabbit: I've been told that rice is considered "Hemetz" by Askenazy Jews but not by Sefartic Jews.
Not exactly. Rice and legumes are "kitniyos" -- definitely not chametz, but not used by Ashkenazim on Pesach. (In general -- for infants, the elderly, etc. an exception is made. That would not be the case for true chametz, where it would have to be a life/health risk for an exception.)
quote:Originally posted by The Rabbit: What about new world "grains" like quinoa and amaranth?
Quinoa is debated; some consider it kitniyos. No idea about amaranth.
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
Well, Rabbit, I know what whoever gets you for next year's gift exchange needs to send you-- gluten-free macaroni!
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
(rivka, that was fascinating, thanks!)
Posted by cassv746 (Member # 11173) on :
I had some Mac n Cheese for lunch today. It was rather tasty. This thread made me crave some starting about a week ago. Finally got some. Posted by Ela (Member # 1365) on :
quote:Originally posted by The Rabbit: Also, In response to an earlier question about soy flour, I don't recommend using it (or any other bean flour) in a rue. I can make a good rue with rice flour but soy flour just doesn't seem to have the right starches in it.
Also, you don't use enough flour of any kind in a Bechamel sauce to be able to significantly enhance the protein content by using soy flour.
It depends on what you mean by significant. It's definitely got more nutrition than refined white flour, and as far as I'm concerned, every little bit helps, even though it's not much. (And I know very well what the nutritional values of my ingredients are.)
As I said earlier, it's good enough for macaroni and cheese. I probably wouldn't use it for something where the bechamel was a more obvious ingredient.
YMMV. Posted by Eaquae Legit (Member # 3063) on :
Extremely ignorant question here...
Why is pasta not okay for Passover? All the bags of noodles I've ever bought list "durum wheat semolina, water" as the only ingredients (unless it's specifically noted as egg noodles or rice, etc.). Is it something about the wheat itself? There's no yeast involved, I thought.
Posted by Glenn Arnold (Member # 3192) on :
For those who would be better off following a recipe: In general, if you're going to experiment with seasoning, start with a recipe, and modify it. That's a whole lot different than attempting to create a recipe from scratch.
Also, there is theory behind cooking. You can do a fair job if you follow the rules, even if you aren't following a recipe. Just like if you follow music theory you'll get something that sounds like music, even if it's uninspired, it still works. Following a recipe generally ensures that you're following the rules (but it can also be uninspired).
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
EL, if you read the link, you'll see that wheat in forms other than matzoh is not permitted. Or something like that. Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
quote:Originally posted by ketchupqueen: EL, if you read the link, you'll see that wheat in forms other than matzoh is not permitted.
Pretty much. It's actually quite possible to have matza that's not kosher for Pesach. The stuff made all year isn't.
And it's not an ignorant question at all. I know plenty of Jews who grew up in traditional (but not Orthodox) homes who didn't know there was anything wrong with pasta on Pesach.
Posted by Kettricken (Member # 8436) on :
Inspired by this thread I tried a new version of macaroni cheese last night.
I used penne instead of macaroni (the larger tubes worked really well). The cheese sauce contained a mixture of medium and mature cheddar with mozzarella and parmesan as the topping.
I added sautéed leeks, mustard and smoked salmon as extra flavour. It was delicious.
Posted by quidscribis (Member # 5124) on :
Do you people know how difficult it is to get good cheese here? The best cheese I can get at my local grocery store - the big store - is Parmesan (and it's actually a pretty good quality, too) and processed cheese slices.
On another note, thanks to this thread, I tried mashing cauliflower, similar to mashed potatoes, but of course with garlic, green chillies, and red chilli powder added, and even Fahim loved them. Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :
quote:I used penne instead of macaroni (the larger tubes worked really well). The cheese sauce contained a mixture of medium and mature cheddar with mozzarella and parmesan as the topping.
I added sautéed leeks, mustard and smoked salmon as extra flavour. It was delicious.
Sounds wonderful.
Posted by cmc (Member # 9549) on :
random: this thread makes me happy... (and hungry)
Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :
Quick question, Kettricken: how did you keep the leeks from adding fibrous bits to the sauce?
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
quote:Originally posted by quidscribis: On another note, thanks to this thread, I tried mashing cauliflower, similar to mashed potatoes, but of course with garlic, green chillies, and red chilli powder added, and even Fahim loved them.
Sounds fantastic. I'll have to give that a try.
Posted by imogen (Member # 5485) on :
quote:Originally posted by The Rabbit:
quote:Originally posted by quidscribis: On another note, thanks to this thread, I tried mashing cauliflower, similar to mashed potatoes, but of course with garlic, green chillies, and red chilli powder added, and even Fahim loved them.
Sounds fantastic. I'll have to give that a try.
Agreed.
Posted by divaesefani (Member # 3763) on :
My favorite way to mac and cheese is to use pipette shape pasta (from Barilla), extra sharp cheddar (less greasy because you can use less when the cheese flavor is more intense), and hot dogs. I'm telling you, hot dog juice adds so much great flavor to mac and cheese! The pipette pasta is so great at holding sauce inside of it so when you bite down, you get a burst of yummy, warm cheese sauce. Mmmmm. I need to buy more cheese on my next shopping trip so that I can partake of the tasty goodness!
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
quid, can you get New Zealand/Australian canned cheese? I've read that the flavor is comparable to cheddar. Cheap cheddar, but cheddar nonetheless.
Posted by quidscribis (Member # 5124) on :
Not at our local store, I don't think. Hmm, I'm not entirely sure. I'll have to check again. At the old place we used to shop, we could even get haloumi on a regular basis, but now that we're in another area, we can't. Same chain department store, different stock. Well, in all fairness, the old neighborhood was where the overseas school is that all the diplomats send their children to, so there are a LOT of foreigners there (teachers & other school staff as well as a lot of diplomat families, for example), so it's not surprising that that location had better foreign food selection. *sigh* <whine> I just have such a hard life! *sob* </whine>
There are places where we can get better cheese, and there's one chain that I can think of that has a decent (decent being a relative term ) of imported cheeses, but we don't go in that direction very often, and the prices they charge... Yowsa!
Posted by ClaudiaTherese (Member # 923) on :
quote:Originally posted by Dagonee: Quick question, Kettricken: how did you keep the leeks from adding fibrous bits to the sauce?
I don't know what Kettricken did, but when I use leeks as an addition to other recipes, I usually do a fine julienne across the grain on the leeks quartered lengthwise.
---
Edited to add: YUMMY thread
Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :
quote:when I use leeks as an addition to other recipes, I usually do a fine julienne across the grain on the leeks quartered lengthwise.
What does "across the grain" mean in this context? When I look at leeks, I see two different textures I might call "the grain," each in opposite directions.
Do you mean in the direction that would make rounds if the leeks weren't quartered lengthwise (that is, across the stalk)?
The perils of being self-taught - this is probably well-defined somewhere I haven't come across yet. Posted by Kettricken (Member # 8436) on :
quote: Quick question, Kettricken: how did you keep the leeks from adding fibrous bits to the sauce?
All I did was sliced half a leek in half legthways, then sliced accross and sauteed in a bit of butter until they were soft.
I didn't add them until I was putting it all together just before going in the oven. We didn't notice any fibrous bits - they were just soft pieces of leek.
Posted by ClaudiaTherese (Member # 923) on :
quote:Originally posted by Dagonee:
quote:when I use leeks as an addition to other recipes, I usually do a fine julienne across the grain on the leeks quartered lengthwise.
What does "across the grain" mean in this context? When I look at leeks, I see two different textures I might call "the grain," each in opposite directions.
Ah, yes, I should have realized it wasn't clear.
I am doing this from memory, so do correct me if it doesn't make sense.
Leeks have longitudinal ribs, kind of like celery. They are much smaller, much less fibrous, and much harder to see, but they are there. You can see them here -- same grain as for celery.
This is cutting a leek horizontally. I do this first in order to cut off the tough dark green tops. Next I cut off the little stringy roots at the bottom (single thin slice takes care of that). Often the leeks have dirt embedded way down at that end, and it's often kind of hidden. So then I make a vertical cut to halve the leek along its length -- this is perpendicular to the knifecut shown in the above photo. That gives you two long pieces. I do that again (lengthwise) to get four long skinny pieces.
At this point the leaves of the leek are usually separating out. It's easy to rinse them really well now on all sides in a colander, separating with your fingers. You'll probably see some of the dirt that was hidden away.
Then I reorient the pieces of the leaves all lengthwise again and do a fine julienne across that grain I mentioned earlier -- this cut is just like the photo above, although it is on washed and separated leaves. You are cutting across the part where the tough fibrous ribs of the celery would be. You end up with pieces rather like this.
---
A similar process can be found illustrated here. He ends up with more of a dice than a julienne, but it's the same general idea.
Posted by ClaudiaTherese (Member # 923) on :
quote:Originally posted by Kettricken:
quote: Quick question, Kettricken: how did you keep the leeks from adding fibrous bits to the sauce?
All I did was sliced half a leek in half legthways, then sliced accross and sauteed in a bit of butter until they were soft.
Yeah, I think most recipes have you wash after halving lengthwise. I am not very good at the wash and usually end up with still-trapped sand, so I halve them again. Most people probably don't need to do that second step.
quote:I didn't add them until I was putting it all together just before going in the oven. We didn't notice any fibrous bits - they were just soft pieces of leek.
Yes -- they soften and melt down like sauteed onions or celery.
Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :
Thanks for the clarification, Kettricken and CT. It makes perfect sense.
Posted by ClaudiaTherese (Member # 923) on :
The leek and potato soup at that last link looked fabulous. That meld of flavors is one of my favorites.
Hmmm. Time to get some leeks.
---
Edited to add: Ooooo, cream of asparagus soup with tarragon. Have a great Moosewood recipe somewhere.
I made a quite nice spring pea soup last night with a mild vegetable broth, frozen sweet peas, salt, and pepper. Just a little dill and lemon juice to round it off after the puree.
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
quote:Originally posted by ClaudiaTherese: I am not very good at the wash and usually end up with still-trapped sand, so I halve them again. Most people probably don't need to do that second step.
IME, it depends on the batch. Probably on the farm and/or growing soil, I'd guess. Sometimes cutting in half is plenty, and sometimes not making a second cut would mean eating sand.
I've never gotten fibrous bits from leeks either. They're yummy in soup. I imagine they'd be lovely in mac'n'cheese.
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
Sometimes if they're really sandy I just separate out the layers before I rinse. Not take them completely out but separated all the way apart. Then rinse, then you have to hold them kind of tightly when you cut, but it works okay, and I like those perfect little half circles. Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
I always do that with the top half. The bottom half I like to leave attached to cut.
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
I hardly ever eat the top half. I just put them in my stock.
Posted by scifibum (Member # 7625) on :
Recently improvised version of pot roast that turned out quite tasty:
3-4 pound chuck roast 1/2 10 oz can diced tomatoes 1 sliced white onion 1 tsp minced garlic 1-2 Tbsp chili powder 1 stalk celery chopped 1/4 tsp coriander Few dashes of Liquid Smoke
Mixed everything but the meat together, then topped the meat with the mixture, sealed in an oven bag, oven 250F, 6 hours.
The combination of chili powder, smoke, and tomato gave it a rather nice flavor somewhere between BBQ brisket and beef chili, but not strong...Still pot roast-y. Very tender and moist as you'd expect from the long roast with the tomatoes. The onions came out tangy and sweet and tender (but not mushy) and more tempting than is good for one's social benefit.
Would like to cook the meat this way next time I'm getting ready for BBQ beef sandwiches, and let people add BBQ sauce to taste rather than slather the meat in it.
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
You should put that on the recipe site. Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
(Though I am morally opposed to liquid smoke. )
Posted by quidscribis (Member # 5124) on :
I've never understood liquid smoke. Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
Alton Brown makes his own...
I still wouldn't eat it.
Posted by scifibum (Member # 7625) on :
quidscribis, Simple, it tastes like it was cooked over a fire (which is a good flavor), even though it wasn't.
It's actually pretty good. Just use it sparingly.
I put it in spaghetti sauce and it was fanstastic (very small amount). Just try getting that smoke flavor in there the old-fashioned way! It's way too much work to keep pouring it from ladle to ladle over the charcoal. Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
quote:it tastes like it was cooked over a fire
No it doesn't.
The two things taste totally, totally different to me.
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
(Mainly, I think, because cooking fires should NOT, in my view, be that smoky!)
Posted by scifibum (Member # 7625) on :
I'm a gonna make me some Liquid Smoke enhanced mac and cheese and tell myself that I'm special because I like things that not everyone likes. I'm also gonna leave the ketchup bottle lonely & cold in the fridge. Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
Good. You eat the smoky mac and I'll eat the ketchup. Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
(At least you keep the ketchup in the fridge. I know people who don't. Heathens.)
Posted by quidscribis (Member # 5124) on :
See, I'm with kq on the liquid smoke thing. It's just all wrong.
Posted by Paul Goldner (Member # 1910) on :
Thanks for posting this dagonee. I made a baked macaroni and cheese for the first time tonight... kept it simple. Shallots and Sage in the butter before making the roux. It was excellent. More complex next time Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :
I hadn't considered sage, but I should have. Sounds like an excellent combination.
I'm trying to think of a way to make a crunchy top that is resistant to a little bit of moisture. I'm thinking macaroni and cheese under thinly sliced chicken breast would be great, but I'd like something crunchy between them. I like the breadcrumb texture, but I'm not sure it would hold up well.
Any ideas? I was thinking using a little more melted butter (from which I've boiled out the water) would help, but this is already fattening enough. Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
Use whole crackers instead? Not soda crackers, something like Triscuits?
Just wildly making stuff up here. Posted by dkw (Member # 3264) on :
Slightly crushed croutons. Or dry stuffing mix.
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
Oooh, dry stuffing mix would work really well! Dry stuffing mix, of course, being pretty much super-dry croutons.
Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :
Excellent idea. Do I add butter to it?
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
I would think not. Butter would just moisten it more, they soak up juices like crazy, so they would just get a BIT moistened with the chicken and mac juices on either side, still stay crunchy in the middle (hopefully.)
Posted by theCrowsWife (Member # 8302) on :
Personally, I would butter it. That way, even if it moistens more than you want, it would still have a crispy sort of feel. And if the crumbs stay very dry, they would be far better with butter than without. Perhaps you could try half with and half without, and see which you like better?
--Mel
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
quote:Originally posted by ketchupqueen: Use whole crackers instead? Not soda crackers, something like Triscuits?
Or matza meal. Posted by Elizabeth (Member # 5218) on :
Mac and cheese. I had a killer mac and cheese in Northampton. It was baked in a large crock, and my daughter, my son, and I shared it. My daughter had ordered it with kielbasa baked in. I would have preferred it plain. It was...perfect. The cheese was really creamy, and had a sweetness too it. Would that be Gruyere?
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
Last night I made cassava and potato gnocci. I made the gnocci using ~ 2 cups of grated cassava, an equal amount of mashed potatoes, 1/2 cup of ground rice, 1/3 cup of split pea flour and about 1/2 tsp of salt. While rolling the gnocci, I filled them with a bit of garlic paste and parmesan cheese, then boiled them is salted water.
I put about 3/4 of them in the freezer and then sauteed my serving in ghee and garlic before adding a tomato sauce and freshly grated parmesan cheese.
Delicious!
I would have preferred using riced potatoes but I left my ricer back in the states. As a result there were a few potato lumps in the gnocci.
I was wondering if the food grinder on my kitchen aid mixer could be used to rice potatoes. Has anyone tried it?
Posted by Eaquae Legit (Member # 3063) on :
Today I finally had time and resources to make mac and cheese. I used creamy feta and wensleydale, as I planned, and sweated a bit of finely chopped leek in the marg before adding the flour. It tasted delicious, but was a bit clumpy. Might have been because I used margarine instead of butter, but I'm not sure since I don't have anything to compare it to. Any suggestions?
Anyway, it was quite tasty and I look forward to trying it again.
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
I've made béchamel sauce with margarine many times without a problem so I don't think that's it. If you don't stir properly when adding the milk, its very easy to get lumps whether you are using butter or margarine. I generally add the milk in a thin stream while stirring the mixture vigorously with a wire whisk. Once the milk is added, the sauce needs to be stirred continually until it thickens.
Posted by maui babe (Member # 1894) on :
Although I love M&C (except for the horrible "orange death" that is the boxed version), I've never had much luck in making it myself. This thread inspired me to try again, and it was disappointing, I'm sorry to say.
I'm probably using the wrong kind of cheese (this time I used colby-jack, with a little bit of bleu and some freshly grated parmesean). I was quite generous with it, but it just didn't fly, dang it.
I added worchestershire, but didn't have any dry mustard on hand. Even with generous amounts of fresh ground pepper, it was really rather bland.
It's discouraging. My peasant children probably wouldn't eat it anyway, or they'd just pour catsup all over it <shudder>.
Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :
quote:I added worchestershire, but didn't have any dry mustard on hand. Even with generous amounts of fresh ground pepper, it was really rather bland.
The mustard makes a big, big difference. A little cayenne helps, too - not enough that you can identify it, but enough that the tiny bit of heat brings out the other flavors. Mustard does this, too. I find that Worcestershire sauce needs something like that to really shine.
You might also need more salt, depending on the cheese.
quote:It tasted delicious, but was a bit clumpy.
A couple of things in addition to Rabbit's advice about stirring:
1) Make sure you get all the water out of the margarine before adding the flour. The purpose of the fat in a roux is to coat individual flour granules to keep them from clumping. If the butter or margarine still has water, you can get clumps. To remove the water, melt the butter and heat on medium until it stops foaming. You can also slightly brown it if you want. Watch it closely - it can go from a nice nutty flavor to burnt very quickly.
2) You can strain the bechamel using a mesh strainer before adding the cheese. This will likely remove the leek bits, but their flavor should still be there.
3) Adding the cheese too fast can create lumps. I don't know enough about wensleydale to know if this is likely. Add it in single handfuls and let it melt completely before adding the next handful.
Posted by sarcasticmuppet (Member # 5035) on :
I made my first casserole mac'n'cheese yesterday, based on the John Thorne's recipe with evaporated milk, eggs, and tons of cheddar cheese (I saw breyerchic's article about this macaroni, and couldn't get it out of my head). I had some ritz crackers so I crushed them, stirred in some melted butter, and sprinkled them on top at the last bit of baking.
It was fantastic. Posted by Uprooted (Member # 8353) on :
Bumping not for mac n' cheese reporting, but because I made the potato leek soup from the link at the bottom of Claudia Therese's Mar. 28th "how to" post on page 3 (about cutting/cleaning leeks).
It is really yummy! It's very mild, but I think perhaps these leeks were not the most flavorful ever.
I'll probably make this soup again. Hatrack is so useful!
Posted by Sterling (Member # 8096) on :
Cafe Flora (the fantasic Seattle vegetarian restaurant to which you can take most carnivores and they'll find they don't miss much) makes their macaroni and cheese very, very simply. They simmer heavy cream until it thickens and reduces by one-quarter, slowly add sharp cheddar, and mix the sauce with pasta tossed with olive oil. (Salt and pepper to taste; their cookbook recommends serving it with warm tomato salsa.)
It's really, really decadent.
Regarding toppings: I've had good luck using almond meal as a breading (available, or used to be, at Trader Joe's), tossed with a little salt and some spices. Don't know how it would work as a topping, but for coating chicken, it's a marvel.
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) And she will tolerate small amounts of cheese on pizza or pasta, and the rest of us add more.
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