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Superb Macaroni & Cheese March 24, 2009

Posted by Teresa in : Dinner, Lunch , trackback

I got this recipe from the Michael Smith section of foodtv. What an excellent recipe! I didn’t have the lobster of course, but it’s great anyway!  :)   I used Cavatappi pasta, which is a nice alternative to macaroni or penne (I am quite tired of penne). Also, as usual, I substituted cheeses, combining aged cheddar, mozzarella, and gouda. I’m crazy, I know!  ;)

A recipe is merely words on paper; a guideline, a starting point from which to improvise. It cannot pretend to replace the practiced hand and telling glance of a watchful cook. For that reason, this is also an account of what happens when I make this dish, so you’ll understand each step. Of course when you cook it once, it becomes yours, so personalize it a bit. Add more of an ingredient you like or less of something you don’t like. Try substituting one ingredient for another. Remember words have no flavour, you have to add your own!

There are few things as good as a warm bowl of homemade macaroni and cheese especially when it doesn’t come out of a box! I don’t normally put lobster in mine – and this version is great without my favourite crustacean – but it’s a great way to make the ordinary extraordinary!

Ingredients:
- 1 box of penne pasta
- 1 sticks (1/2 cup) of butter
- 2 x garlic cloves, chopped
- 1/2 cup of flour
- 1/2 cup of white wine
- 1 can of evaporated milk
- 4 cups of milk
- 1 tbsp of paprika
- 2 tbsp of Dijon mustard
- 1/4 tsp of cayenne pepper
- 8 oz of cheddar cheese, grated
- 8 oz of Monterrey jack cheese, grated
- Salt and pepper
- 2 x 1 lb. lobsters, cooked and shelled
- 2 cups of breadcrumbs

Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Drop the pasta into boiling, salted water and cook until almost tender, about 12 minutes. Make sure the water tastes like a day at the beach, as the pasta will absorb it and become properly seasoned. The pasta should not be fully cooked; it should have just a touch of firmness when tasted. Drain well.
  2. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat, add garlic and cook for several minutes until it softens. Add the flour and stir with a wooden spoon until a smooth paste forms. Continue cooking for a few more minutes, in effect toasting the mixture and adding flavour to it. Slowly stir in the wine and continue mixing until smooth and then add both milks, mixing well again. Continue whisking until the mixture coats the back of a spoon. Add paprika, Dijon, cayenne, salt, pepper and cheeses and stir until melted.
  3. Roughly chop lobster meat and add to the cheese mixture along with the pasta. Stir well to combine and season with salt and pepper. Pour into a 9-inch by 13-inch ovenproof casserole or similar dish. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and bake until the mixture is heated through and the breadcrumbs are golden brown, about 30 minutes.

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