Ingredients
- 4 cups (1 pound) elbow macaroni
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 cups milk
- 1/2 medium onion, stuck with 1 clove
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups grated Cheddar, plus 1 cup in big chunks
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Cook the macaroni in a large pot of boiling salted water until done, about 5 to 7 minutes. Drain and toss it with 2 tablespoons butter; set aside.
Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Coat a large baking dish with 1 tablespoon butter and set it aside. Put the milk into a saucepan and add the clove studded onion, garlic, bay leaf, thyme, and mustard. Warm over medium low heat until the milk starts to steam, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and let the flavors infuse while you make the roux. In a large pot over medium heat add 2 tablespoons butter and the flour. Cook, stirring, for about 2 to 3 minutes; don't let the roux color. Strain the infused milk onto the roux, whisking constantly to avoid lumps. Cook, stirring often, for about 5 minutes until the sauce is thick. Remove from the heat and add 1/2 the grated Cheddar and 1/2 the Parmesan; stir until it is melted and smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Pour this over the macaroni, add the chunks of Cheddar, and mix until well blended; put this into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining Cheddar and Parmesan cheeses evenly over the top. Bake until the top is golden and crusty, about 25 to 30 minutes.
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By beejaylee
on January 13, 2012
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This was the best mac and cheese recipe ever. I had to use dried thyme and ground cloves wrapped in cheesecloth for the infusion which worked out well. The flavor of the infusion was mild and the consistency was creamy goodness. This is now my got to mac and cheese recipe!
By ChuckB2
on November 14, 2011
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I am a new, beginner cook. I retired a couple of years ago. My wife works as a food service manager and watches the Food Network quite a bit. Now, at age 57 I have become interested in cooking for the first time in my life. Today, my wife asked me to find a recipe for something she could take to a sorority meeting pitch-in dinner. I found this mac & cheese recipe and thought I would give it a go. It could just be my lack of experience, but, like others have said, I was not able to get the bechamel to thicken. I finally figured out that I would have to add more flour but was afraid of ending up with a raw flour taste. I had to add about another 1 1/2 tablespoons to get it to thicken up and I'm still not sure if that was enough. The jury is still out on this one...as I write this, my wife hasn't gotten back from the dinner. I hope she returns a favorable report.
By deeswyt_9615437
Sandy Springs, GA
on November 05, 2011
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So traditional! So delicious! Such a crowd pleaser!
Read all 77 reviews