Crazy-good Mac and Cheese

It’s hard to imagine a childhood without macaroni and cheese. We all have our own idea of the best version (usually your mother’s), but I wanted to incorporate certain things into my “ultimate” recipe. A creamy mac and cheese should have visible macaroni noodles and not be a solid brick of mushy starch. There needs to be lots of flavour from some of my favourite local artisanal cheeses, and a tangy zip to balance the richness. And there needs to be a golden, crunchy crust on top. After several tries, I found that a classic Mornay sauce with the addition of some store-bought Velveeta cheese (yes, you read that correctly) gave me the texture and balance that I desired. So, here it is. Make modifications if you like, but I feel confident that mac and cheese lovers will find this quite appealing.

Ingredients

1 lb (500 g) elbow macaroni

1⁄3 cup (75 mL) butter

1 small onion, minced

1⁄2 tsp (2 mL) salt

1⁄2 tsp (2 mL) pepper

1⁄4 cup (60 mL) plus 1 tbsp (15 mL) all-purpose flour

3 cups (750 mL) milk

2 cups (500 mL) half-and-half cream (10% mf)

2 tbsp (30 mL) Dijon mustard

1 tbsp (15 mL) Worcestershire sauce

1 tbsp (15 mL) hot sauce, such as Tabasco sauce or Sriracha

1⁄2 tsp (2 mL) nutmeg

1 package (1 lb/500 g) Velveeta cheese

2 cups (500 mL) shredded Gruyere cheese

2 cups (500 mL) grated aged Cheddar or Gouda cheese

1½ cups (375 mL) grated Parmesan cheese

1⁄4 cup (60 mL) melted butter

1⁄2 cup (125 mL) fresh bread crumbs

1⁄2 cup (125 mL) crushed crackers, such as Saltines, Breton or Carr’s Table Water

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook macaroni until firm to bite but about three-quarters cooked, 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer to the colander and drain under cold running water; set aside.

In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, melt butter and cook until bubbling; saute onion, salt, and pepper until onions are translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir in flour until incorporated. Gently whisk in milk, cream, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce and nutmeg; cook gently, whisking, until thickened and smooth. Reduce heat to low and gently simmer, stirring often, for 5 minutes. Stir in Velveeta, and 1 1⁄2 cups (375 mL) each of the Gruyere and Cheddar and 1 cup (250 mL) of the Parmesan; cook, stirring, until cheese is melted and sauce is smooth.

Fold reserved macaroni noodles into sauce; transfer to a large baking dish. In a bowl, stir together reserved Gruyere, Cheddar and Parmesan, butter, bread crumbs and crushed crackers; evenly spread over macaroni mixture. Bake in 350°F (180°C) oven until bubbling and golden brown, about 50 minutes.

Makes 8 servings, with leftovers

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Crazy-good Mac and Cheese