Photo: Mac Daddy Mac n' Cheese Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 shallots, peeled
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 3 pieces bacon, diced, cooked, reserving 1 tablespoon bacon fat
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 4 cups heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
- 1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 pound penne pasta, cooked
- 1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs
- 2 tbsp. melted butter
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place shallots and garlic in a small aluminum foil pouch and drizzle with olive oil. Roast 20 to 30 minutes or until tender. Remove from foil and chop. In a large saute pan, reheat reserved bacon fat over medium heat. Add roasted shallot and garlic and saute for 1 minute. Add flour and stir for 1 minute. Whisk in heavy cream and thyme. Reduce by a third. Stir in cheeses until melted, creamy and thickened. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and gently stir in pasta. Place in a 9X13 casserole dish. In a small bowl, mix together diced bacon, bread crumbs, butter and parsley. Top Mac n Cheese with Panko mixture and bake uncovered at same heat until bubbling and lightly browned on top, 20 to 25 minutes.
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By CookingGeek
on January 11, 2012
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Made this last night. It was VERY tasty, although maybe a little bland, but I fixed this with about 1/4 tsp of cayenne pepper in the sauce (and serving with a sprinkle of hot sauce. The roasted garlic & shallots were fantastic in the bechamel sauce! I especially liked the panko mixture sprinkled on top, although I would make more of it next time, I was left with wanting more on there. I did 1/2 the recipe and used an 8x8 glass dish, worked great. Make sure you used GOOD pasta, not the store brand stuff, and get it off the stove and drained while still slightly under cooked, as the cheese mixture will finish cooking it in the oven. I went about 30 mins in the oven, I wanted a slight crunch on the top, it was perfect. My only complaint (and I've had this problem with other recipes is that the oil/grease separates out if you try to re-heat it the next day, say in the microwave. Looks pretty nasty in the bottom of the plate. I'll make this again.
By denbyinva
Paramus, NJ
on January 02, 2012
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Every New Year's Day I make a different mac and cheese recipe, and now I've found a real keeper. My family absolutely loved this. I added a little extra pepper jack cheese, a small amount (perhaps 1-2 oz of gruyere cheese, and a pinch of grated parmesan to the creamy mixture. Then once in the baking pan, I added a light layer of grated parmesan and then topped it off with the panko mixture. With the pepper jack, it was a little spicy for some so I'm sure it would be just as good if you substitute more cheddar, gruyere, or another kind of milder cheese. Enjoy!
By foodme21
on December 27, 2011
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My family LOVED it!!!!
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