Mac and Cheese

The recipe was online briefly, but I assume it is gone already.

Ingredients

• 8 oz. Monterey Jack, shredded (2 c.)
• 8 oz. cheddar, shredded (2 c.)
• 5 c. milk
• 8 T. unsalted butter
• 6 T. flour
• ½ T. (1 ½ tsp.) mustard powder
• ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 lb. macaroni, cooked with 1 T. salt past al dente but not al squishy
• 1 c. panko

Directions

1. Cook pasta.
2. Work 3 T. of the butter into the panko with your fingers.
3. In the pasta pan or Dutch oven, on medium-high, heat 5 T. butter to foaming.
4. Whisk in flour and spices. Whisk another minute.
5. Whisk in milk slowly. Bring to full boil stirring constantly.
6. Simmer on medium 5 minutes until the thickness of heavy cream.
7. Remove from heat and add cheese and salt.
8. Add pasta and return to medium-low heat for 6 minutes.
9. Transfer to 9x13 baking dish, top with crumb mixture, and broil 3-5 minutes.
10. Cool 5 minutes before serving.

Variants

The original recipe called for 5 slices bread pulsed with the butter in a food processor. I have never made it that way.

Don’t put the pan too close to the broiler if using panko as a substitute for fresh breadcrumbs. Also, note that the original recipe said not to do that (but I almost always do it).

I tried doubling the cayenne pepper, to little effect. I may need some new cayenne pepper…

You can substitute 8 oz. of Pepper Jack for the 8 oz. of Monterey Jack without making the mac'n'cheese obnoxiously spicy.

If you’re low on panko, you can replace some with almond flour, or, preferably, almond meal.