Kale Poblano Mac N Cheese Food

MACARONI AND CHEESE WITH KALE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook as the label directs for al dente. Reserve 1 3/4 cups of the cooking water and then drain. Set aside.
• Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the kale and garlic and cook, stirring, until the kale begins to wilt. Add 1/2 cup of water, 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the kale wilts and is crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
• Carefully wipe out the saucepan. Bring the half-and-half, cayenne and nutmeg to a simmer over medium heat. Cook until reduced to 1 1/2 cups, about 15 minutes. Add the cream cheese and stir until melted. Gradually whisk in the Cheddar and Havarti cheeses, a handful at a time, until all the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth.
• Add the cooked pasta and reserved cooking water to the sauce and stir to combine. Stir in the kale and season with additional salt and pepper. Pour into a 13-by-9-inch baking dish. Toss the bread crumbs, remaining 1/4 cup olive oil and a large pinch of salt and pepper in a medium bowl and sprinkle evenly over the macaroni and cheese. Bake until bubbly and lightly browned, about 10 minutes.

POBLANO MAC AND MANCHEGO WITH CORN AND MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat and brown the mushrooms, 10 minutes. Scrape the corn kernels from the cobs and add to the mushrooms. Season with salt and black pepper and continue cooking, 5 to 6 minutes.
• Puree the stock with the poblanos, garlic, cilantro, onions and some salt and black pepper in a blender or food processor. Melt the butter in a saucepot over medium heat, and then whisk in the flour. Whisk in the milk and cream and raise the heat a bit. Stir in the poblano puree and simmer until thickened, 20 to 25 minutes. Stir in 1 cup of the grated cheese.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Cook the pasta to al dente in a large pot of salted boiling water. Before draining the pasta, reserve a ladle of the starchy cooking water. Toss the pasta with the sauce, mushrooms and corn, adding a little of the reserved starchy water if the sauce is too thick. Pour into a baking dish and top with the remaining cheese. Bake until brown and bubbly, 15 to 20 minutes.

VEGAN POBLANO MACARONI AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Add the cashews to a small bowl and cover with hot tap water to soak for 20 minutes. Drain and set aside.
• Meanwhile, combine the potatoes and carrot in a medium pot with 4 cups water, salt liberally, and bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook until the vegetables are fork-tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Reserve 1½ cups of the cooking liquid, then drain.
• While the potatoes and carrots cook, bring 8 cups water in a medium pot to a boil over high. Salt liberally, add the elbow pasta and cook until al dente according to package directions. Drain and return to the pot.
• While the potatoes and pasta cook, char the chiles: Place the poblano chiles and jalapeño, if using, directly on the grate of a gas burner and turn the heat to high. Cook, using heatproof tongs to turn the chiles so they blister and blacken on all sides, 8 to 10 minutes. Set aside to cool. Remove the stems and seeds and discard, then slice the chiles and set aside a few for garnish.
• Working in batches if necessary, blend the potatoes, carrot, cashews, chiles, nutritional yeast and the reserved potato cooking water until smooth. Taste and season with salt. Add the sauce to the pasta and stir to coat. Turn the heat to low and let sit for about 5 minutes so the pasta absorbs some of the sauce. Serve hot, garnished with the reserved chiles.

CREAMY POBLANO MAC & CHEESE

Steps:

• Heat the butter in a 3-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and pepper and cook for 5 minutes or until the vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally.
• Add the tomato and garlic to the saucepan and cook and stir for 1 minute. Season with the salt and black pepper.
• Stir in the soup and milk and heat to a boil. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Add the cheese and stir until melted. Stir in the macaroni. Sprinkle with the cilantro.

KALE & POBLANO MAC N' CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Cook macaroni until al dente, about 4 minutes. Drain and pour into 8x8 baking dish. Set aside.
• In a saute pan, add 1 tablespoon oil olive over medium heat. Cook and stir chopped onion and poblano pepper until beginning to soften, about 4 minutes. Stir in kale and garlic and cook until kale softens and wilts, 2 to 3 minutes. Pour in the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and sprinkle in the flour. Stir until you have a roux. Slowly whisk in almond milk and cheese. Add salt and pepper.
• Pour cheese mixture over pasta. Bake 20 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

CREAMY POBLANO MAC & CHEESE

Steps:

• Heat the butter in a 3 quart saucepan over medium-high heat.
• Add onion and red pepper and cook for 5 minutes or until the vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally.
• Add tomato and garlic to the saucepan and cook and stir for 1 minute.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Stir in the soup and milk and heat to a boil.
• Remove the saucepan from the heat.
• Add the cheese and stir until melted.
• Stir in the macaroni.
• Sprinkle with the cilantro if desired.