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Some comfort foods never go out of style, and macaroni and cheese is one of these. Recessionary times are only making the popular entree more desirable. Modern renditions can still capture the homey goodness while featuring up-to-the-minute interpretations from American chefs, who have increased menu listings of macaroni and cheese an average of 20 percent since 2004, according to Mintel Menu Insights.
Home cooks can update this comfort food with a variety of Wisconsin cheeses and chef recipes, each offering a special spin on this classic.
Chefs Frank Randazzo and Andrea Curto-Randazzo from Talula in Miami Beach, Fla. use Wisconsin Fontina and Parmesan cheese as well as pancetta in their Miami Macaroni and Cheese.
Chef Goose Sorensen from Solera Restaurant & Wine Bar in Denver, Colo. tops his White Cheddar Mac & Cheese with fresh scallops and grilled asparagus.
Chef Gregg Wangard from Marisol Restaurant in Pismo Beach, Calif. combines Wisconsin Aged Cheddar and Asiago cheeses for a flavorful approach to his traditional macaroni and cheese recipe.
MIAMI MACARONI & CHEESE
Number of Servings: 12
1 1/2 pounds rotelli pasta
2 cups pancetta, diced 1/4"
3 cups (approximately 12 ounces) Wisconsin Fontina Cheese, cut into 1/4" cubes and chilled
2 cups (approximately 8 ounces) Wisconsin Parmesan Cheese, finely grated
11/2 quart Heavy Cream
2 1/2 cups Milk
3/4 loaf baguette (dry)
8 ounces (approximately 1 cup) unsalted Butter, to taste
Salt to taste
Black pepper
Preheat oven to 375°F. On baking sheet, cook pancetta for 6-8 minutes or until just crispy. Drain grease and set aside.
Crush and crumble baguette (you may use a food processor), until semi-fine to make bread crumbs. In large saute pan, melt Butter over medium heat. Add bread crumbs and toast (tossing), until golden brown. Set aside.
Cook pasta until al dente, cool and set aside in large mixing bowl.
In hot saucepot add Heavy Cream and bring to a boil. Simmer and reduce by 1/3. Slowly whisk in 1 1/4 cups of the Parmesan and pancetta. Continue reducing slightly until consistency is thick and creamy.
In large mixing bowl with pasta, add the Cream Mixture along with the Fontina Cheese. Toss quickly and season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour Mixture into lightly buttered individual casserole baking dishes (5-6 ounce dishes). Top with breadcrumbs and remaining Parmesan Cheese. Bake in oven for 12-15 minutes. Remove and serve hot.
You may also use one large casserole dish for this recipe.
PAN-ROASTED SCALLOPS WITH WISCONSIN WHITE CHEDDAR "MAC & CHEESE," GRILLED ASPARAGUS & LEMON GREMOLATTA
Number of Servings: 4
Bechamel:
3 cups whole milk
1/2 cup butter plus 1 tablespoon, divided
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
Pinch of nutmeg
8 ounces Wisconsin White Cheddar Cheese, shredded, divided
Gremolatta:
Grated zest of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
2 tablespoons panko bread crumbs
Mac and Cheese:
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 cups frozen green peas, thawed
1 pound cavatappi pasta, cooked al dente, drained
Scallops and Asparagus:
16 large sea scallops
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
6 asparagus spears, grilled, cut into 1-inch pieces
4 ounces Wisconsin Parmesan cheese, shredded
Bechamel:
Heat milk in large saucepan; bring to a simmer. Melt 1/2 cup butter in small saute pan and slowly whisk in flour to form a paste. Slowly add flour mixture to hot milk. Cook and stir until thick. Season with nutmeg and stir in half (l cup) of the white Cheddar cheese. Set aside.
Gremolatta:
Mix lemon zest, parsley and bread crumbs in small bowl. Set aside.
Mac & Cheese:
Melt 1 tablespoon butter in 12 to 18-inch saute pan. Add garlic and cook until translucent. Add heavy cream and peas. When warm, add bechamel. Cook and stir until hot. Toss in cooked pasta and remaining white Cheddar cheese. Turn burner to low.
Scallops and Asparagus:
Dry scallops with towel. Season tops with salt and pepper. Heat 12 to 18-inch saute pan very hot. Add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. Heat until very hot. Carefully place each scallop in pan, seasoned side down. Cook 50 seconds or until browned. Turn scallops over. Toss in the asparagus and remove pan from heat.
Final Preparation:
Taste pasta and season to taste. Divide into four large shallow bowls. Arrange scallops in the middle of the pasta and top with asparagus. Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese and gremolatta on top. Thinly shave the truffle and place on top.
MACARONI & CHEESE WITH WISCONSIN AGED CHEDDAR AND ASIAGO
Preheat oven to 375°F. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add macaroni; bring back to boil and cook 5 minutes. Drain, rinsing with cold water.
Butter an 8 x 11-inch baking dish. Spread 1/3 of the macaroni over the bottom. Season with salt and pepper. Combine cheeses in a bowl and sprinkle 1/3 of the cheeses over the macaroni. Continue with 2 additional layers of macaroni and cheeses. Combine milk and cream and slowly pour over macaroni. Cover tightly with foil and bake 45 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking until top browns a bit, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from oven and let rest 15 minutes. Serve hot.
Let's Get Cooking!
While there are many reasons for teaching kids to cook -- less expensive than eating out, preserves family heritage, etc, the most important
reason is that by teaching your child to cook, you're giving him a better chance to be a healthy grown-up. Enabling your child with the ability
to appreciate freshness and to transform ingredients into tasty foods opens their eyes to making wiser choices about what to eat...
Mac & Cheese - Then and Now
Let's Get Cooking!
