Not Your Average Macaroni And Cheese Food

NOT YOUR MOTHER'S MACARONI AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Butter a large rectangular baking dish and set it aside.
• Combine the stock and wine, bring to a boil and reduce it to 3/4 cup.
• bring the cream to a boil and reduce it to 3 cups.
• Heat the oil in a heavy saucepan.
• Add the garlic and shallots and cook them until they are soft, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Add the reduced stock and cream.
• Whisk in the mustard.
• Reduce the heat to low and add the cheeses, stirring often until they have melted.
• Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Cook the pasta in boiling salted water until al dents.
• Drain and toss it with the butter.
• Add the tomato, cayenne and Worcestershire sauce to the cheese mixture and heat the sauce thoroughly.
• Pour the cheese sauce over over the pasta, tossing well.
• Transfer to the baking dish.
• Sprinkle the top with the Parmesan cheese.
• Broil until the cheese melts and is golden, about 5 minutes.

MACARONI AND CHEESE (J. ALEXANDER'S VERSION)

Steps:

• Boil 6 cups water and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt to a boil in a medium pot. Add macaroni and cook until tender, about 8 minutes. Drain and put in a large bowl.
• Melt 2 Tablespoons butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Heat oven to 350°F Whisk in flour and cook 3 minutes, whisking constantly.
• Gradually whisk in heavy cream.
• Stir in onion, bay leaf, and paprika. Simmer 15 minutes, stirring often.
• Remove from heat and stir in 1 1/2 cups gruyere. Season to taste with salt and pepper and remove bay leaf.
• Stir in pasta.
• Pour HALF of the pasta mixture into a deep 1 1/2-quart, buttered baking dish. Sprinkle with HALF of the remaining cheese. Top with remaining pasta mixture, then add the remaining cheese.
• Melt 1 Tablespoon butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add bread crumbs and toss to coat. Sprinkle bread crumbs on top of macaroni and cheese.
• Bake 30 minutes or until bread crumbs are lightly browned. Cook 5 minutes then serve.

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.