Laurel Chenel Goat Cheese Mac n' Cheese
- Level: Easy
- Yield: 6 servings
- Total: 4 hr
- Prep: 2 hr
- Cook: 2 hr
Ingredients
For the artichokes:
9 large artichokes
3 Meyer lemons
2 1/2 cups white wine
2 1/2 cups water
1 cup pure olive oil, plus 2 tablespoons*
3 garlic cloves, peeled
1 teaspoon coriander seed
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
2 teaspoons sliced green garlic
For the macaroni and cheese:
3 cups heavy cream
6 ounces pennette
9 ounces goat cheese
1 teaspoon chopped fresh lemon thyme
1 pinch lavender
1 pinch ground pink peppercorns
Kosher salt
Ground black pepper
3/4 cup water, as needed
For the topping:
1 loaf rustic bread
3 tablespoons pure olive oil
3 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley leaves
3 lemons, zested (from artichoke recipe)
3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan
Kosher salt
Ground black pepper
For garnish:
2 bunches arugula, cleaned
Olive oil, as needed
1/2 Meyer lemon
Kosher salt
Ground black pepper
Directions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Trim the artichokes. Using a serrated knife, cut off the top inch of each artichoke and cut off the stem to create a flat surface for the artichoke to sit on the plate. Place in a Dutch oven. Zest the Meyer lemons and set aside for the topping. Cut 2 of the lemons in half and squeeze the juice over the artichokes and place the juiced lemons in the baking dish. Add the white wine, water, 1 cup of the oil, garlic cloves, coriander, bay leaves and peppercorns.
- On a burner on high heat, bring the liquid to a boil. Cover and cook in the oven until tender (leaves are removed easily), about 45 minutes to 1 hour. Let cool and when cool enough to handle, carefully remove the center choke (heart) and smaller leaves from 6 of the artichokes, using a spoon. Then remove and discard all the leaves in the remaining 3 artichokes. Puree the remaining 3 artichokes in a food processor or blender.
- In a small saute pan on high heat, saute the green garlic in 2 tablespoons of the oil until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the 6 artichoke hearts and saute another few minutes.. Juice 1/2 a lemon and season the artichoke hearts with the lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Spoon a little of the puree mixture into each of the 6 intact artichokes.
- In a medium nonreactive saucepan on medium-high heat, bring the cream to a simmer. Once it is simmering, add the pasta and stir often until pasta is just cooked through, about 10 minutes. Stir in the goat cheese, thyme, lavender, and pink peppercorns. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Adjust to desired consistency by adding water. Spoon pasta into each of the 6 artichokes on top of the artichoke puree.
- Remove the crust from the rustic loaf and place the insides in a food processor. Pulse until you get fine crumbs. Saute 2 cups of the crumbs with 3 tablespoons olive oil on medium-high heat until golden and crunchy. Let cool. Once cool, toss the bread crumbs with parsley, reserved zest and Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper. Generously sprinkle on top of the filled artichokes.
- Place the artichokes in an oven-proof dish with a little water in the bottom and place in oven until bubbly and hot through, about 10 minutes. Toss the arugula in a sprinkle of olive oil and the juice of the remaining 1/2 of a lemon. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. To plate, make an arugula nest for the artichoke on each plate. Place a warmed artichoke in the center.
Cook’s Note
*Pure olive oil is a blend of refined olive oil and virgin olive oil. It has a more neutral taste than virgin or extra virgin olive oil.