Mac & Cheese By Vicki G. Marshall and Margaret M. Toohey Economists may argue about recession vs. economic slowdown. But according to the New York Times, spotting a “recession’s end is not that hard. Just forget the index of leading economic indicators. Ignore consumer confidence. And don’t even give a passing thought to the stock market. Ponder, instead, macaroni and cheese. Kraft General Foods does. Like ancient Roman priests peering at bird entrails, executives at the nation’s largest food company contemplate the vagaries of creamy carbohydrates for clues to the economy. When the country feels flush, Kraft executives say, people buy fancy foods, like caviar or arugula. But when the going gets tough, the tough get macaroni and cheese—cozy, filling, and, above all, the right price.” Regardless of the economic environment, there is no doubt that mac ‘n’ cheese is trendier than ever—just check out the “macaroni au gratin” on the menu at Balthazar, or that of the Eatery at 798 9th Avenue in New York, which is described as a “tall bowl of mac with a crust of parmesan topped with ‘frizzled’ onions.” The Foodies can certainly appreciate the popularity of this most staple of comfort foods, both in the shape of the familiar “Blue Box,” consisting of elbow macaroni and orange powder, or in versions that use more authentic ingredients. Homemade macaroni and cheese can be a simple layering of cooked macaroni, shredded (or sliced) cheese, and salt and pepper; or it can be made with a white sauce-cheese base, topped with more cheese and buttered crumbs before baking. Macaroni and cheese has matured. It appears on many restaurant menus, not just as a side in barbeque places, but in upscale bistros as well. Recently, the Foodies set out to explore the versions available in local eateries, and to seek out some recipes that our readers might want to make at home. We enjoyed an amazing variety of pastas and cheeses as we sampled mac ‘n’ cheese from around Western New York. Recommended by several fans, the dish from Fat Bob’s (41 Virginia Place, Buffalo) is made with penne rigate, and is cheesy, creamy, and excellent. Dan Duke put us on to the dish at Fiamma Steak House (1735 Hertel Avenue), made with gemelli (thin but dense corkscrews), dotted with pancetta pieces, and more orange in color. It’s pricey at $11 for a side dish but worth every penny. At Bandana’s on Lake Road in Youngstown, Monday night is mac ‘n’ cheese night. There we found the cellentani (a longer curled macaroni), rich with creamy cheese. Fellow Spree food writer Joe George modestly mentioned the mac ‘n’ cheese at the Lexington Food Coop (807 Elmwood Avenue). Made with farfale (bow-tie) macaroni and smoked gouda, this was a more subtle cheese taste than we expected, but very, very tasty. Mark Criden, Spree wine guru, suggested we try the mac ‘n’ cheese with lobster at Torches (1141 Kenmore Avenue). It turns out that this dish is only a “special,” so we tried Torches’ Nickel City mac ‘n’ cheese, made with elbow macaroni, bleu cheese Alfredo, sun-dried tomato, topped with fresh bread crumbs, scallions, buttermilk fried chicken pieces, and Frank’s hot sauce. Less cheesy than the others, this was delicious nonetheless. After these tastings, we put out the call for recipes to try at home. Here are the ones we thought sounded really good. Arteries, prepare for infusion. THE BEST MACARONI & CHEESE — Pam Anderson Toasted breadcrumbs: 1 C. fresh breadcrumbs Pinch of salt 1 tbsp. melted butter Macaroni & cheese: Salt lb. elbow macaroni 4 tbsp. butter 2 large eggs 1 can (12 oz.) evaporated milk, heated to warm tsp. hot red pepper sauce Ground black pepper 1 tsp. dry mustard dissolved in 1 tsp. water 10–12 oz. (3 C.) mild cheddar, American, or Monterey Jack cheese Heat oven to 350 and set a 1 quart heatproof dish, such as a soufflé pan, in oven to warm. Breadcrumbs: Mix ingredients together in a small baking pan; set aside. Macaroni: Bring 2 quarts water to a boil; add 1 t salt and macaroni; cook until almost tender, but a little firm to the bite. Drain and transfer to preheated dish and stir in butter to melt. Meanwhile, mix eggs, 1 C evaporated milk, pepper sauce, t salt, t pepper, and mustard mixture in small bowl. Pour egg mixture over noodles along with of cheese; stir until thoroughly combined and cheese starts to melt. Place bread crumbs in oven to toast until golden brown, 10–15 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside. Place pan of macaroni and cheese in oven too and bake for 5 minutes. Remove pan from oven; thoroughly stir macaroni mixture, adding a little remaining milk and cheese. Return to oven and cook 5 minutes longer. Remove macaroni pan from oven and stir thoroughly so that macaroni and cheese cooks evenly, adding additional cheese and milk if mixture does not look moist and creamy. Return to oven for a total of 20 minutes, removing pan from oven once more to stir in remaining milk and cheese. Serve immediately, sprinkled with breadcrumbs. THREE CHEESE MINI MACS — Christine Storfer 1/2 lb. elbow macaroni 1 1/2 tbsp. unsalted butter 1/4 C. grated parmesan 2 tbsp. flour 3/4 C. whole milk 6 oz. cheddar, shredded 4 oz. Fontina, shredded 1 large egg yolk 1/4 tsp. smoked Spanish paprika 1 C. breadcrumbs moistened with 4 tbsp. melted butter Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Cook mac till al dente about 5 minutes. Drain, shake off excess water. Spray 4 12-cup mini muffin tins with non-stick cooking spray. In a large saucepan, melt butter. Whisk in flour and cook over moderate heat for 2 minutes. Whisk in milk and cook, whisking until boiling, 5 minutes. Add all cheeses and whisk till melted. Off heat, whisk in yolk and paprika. Fold in pasta. Spoon rounded tablespoons of pasta mixture into prepared muffin tins. Sprinkle breadcrumbs on top. Bake in upper and middle thirds of oven for about 10 minutes, till sizzling and golden. Let cool for 5 minutes, loosen edges with a small knife and serve on a platter. Great cocktail party food! (Can be made in advance and baked the next day. Make sure you cover them with wrap so they don’t dry out.) OVER-THE-RAINBOW MACARONI AND CHEESE Patti LaBelle says that the sure sign of a good cook is if their macaroni and cheese will make you cry. According to Oprah, Patti’s version just might bring tears to your eyes. Serves 4 to 6 1 tbsp. vegetable oil 1 lb. elbow macaroni 8 tbsp. (1 stick) plus 1 tbsp. butter 1/2 C. (2 oz.) shredded Muenster cheese 1/2 C. (2 oz.) shredded mild cheddar cheese 1/2 C. (2 oz.) shredded sharp cheddar cheese 1/2 C. (2 oz.) shredded Monterey Jack 2 C. half-and-half 1 C. (8 oz.) Velveeta, cut into small cubes 2 large eggs, lightly beaten 1/4 tsp. seasoned salt 1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly butter a deep 2 1/2-quart casserole. Bring the large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the oil, then the elbow macaroni, and cook until the macaroni is just tender, about 7 minutes. Do not overcook. Drain well. Return to the cooking pot. In a small saucepan, melt eight tablespoons of the butter. Stir into the macaroni. In a large bowl, mix the Muenster, mild and sharp cheddar, and Monterey Jack cheeses. To the macaroni, add the half-and-half, 1 1/2 cups of the shredded cheese, the cubed Velveeta, and the eggs. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to the buttered casserole. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2-cup of shredded cheese and dot with the remaining one-tablespoon of butter. Bake until it’s bubbling around the edges, about 35 minutes. Serve hot. Vicki G. Marshall (goya@adelphia.net) is a graphic designer. Margaret M. Toohey (mtoohey@lewistoninsurance.com) is CEO and owner of the Lewiston Insurance Agency. Visit the Foodies online at www.foodiestalk.blogspot.com. SUBSCRIBE NOW Back to the Table of Contents Back to Top