Real Mac 'n Cheese

A few weeks ago, I blogged about certain kids' cookbook authors who endorse hiding vegetables in food. Not a bad idea, but don't commit culinary atrocities. I think putting pureed chic peas in mac 'n cheese ruins it, sorry Missy! One of the loveliest things about mac 'n cheese is the silky texture of the cheese sauce. This recipe makes a luxurious one. Don't skimp on the hot sauce either, it really adds another dimension. Don't be afraid; this is not complicated. Get a good whisk ready! I like serving this with steamed broccoli florets; no more than 6 minutes please!

Get your kids to help you make this. Mine had fun weighing the cheese and grating the nutmeg. Of course, licking the pot is the most fun.

Real Mac 'n Cheese
(adapted from an ancient NYT recipe that I can't find online)
Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 12, feel free to halve the recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 cups diced onion
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup unbleached flour
• 1 quart low-fat milk
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 24 ounces grated low-fat aged Cheddar cheese, or a mix of cheeses (I added local farmer's market cheese and it was excellent)
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon hot-pepper sauce
• 16 ounces whole wheat elbow macaroni, cavatelli, penne or rigatoni
• 4 tablespoons grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Grana Padano

Preparation:

1. In a deep saucepan, cook onion in butter over low heat until onion is soft but not browned. Stir in flour. Remove pan from heat, slowly add milk while whisking. When thoroughly blended, return to medium heat and cook, stirring, until mixture begins to thicken. Remove from heat, and whisk in mustard and 20 ounces Cheddar cheese, salt, pepper, nutmeg and hot-pepper sauce. It will be lumpy at first, but have faith, it will come together.
   
2. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to "al dente" directions. Do not overcook! Drain, return to pot, add cheese sauce and stir until blended. Taste and adjust seasonings.
3. Spoon mixture into two 9-by-13-inch baking dishes. Top with remaining Cheddar cheese and the Parmigiano-Reggiano. Refrigerate until needed. To serve, allow dishes to return to room temperature, heat oven to 400 degrees, and bake about 20 minutes, until mixture is hot, bubbling and golden.
   

Jessica Seinfeld & Missy Lapine Are Taken Down a Notch

Raymond Sokolov of the Wall Street Journal's Eating Out column stabbed a few forks into the recipes Jessica and Missy published in their respective cookbooks and what he found wasn't pretty. Playing With Their Food questions the entire premise of hiding pureed vegetables in kids' food. He points out that many of the recipes are for breakfast and dessert and have sugar in them. Is it a good idea to serve a kid scrambled eggs or mac 'n cheese with pureed cauliflower in them? Having been classically trained, I cringe at the thought. I tried Missy's mac ' cheese with pureed chic peas in it and it was a sorry sight because the sauce neither looked nor behaved as it should have. The kids ate it anyway, but I'm making them real mac 'n cheese to show them what it should look and taste like. And there will be emerald green broccoli florets adorning it.

Sokolov argues that vegetables should be seen and discussed, not hidden. I kind of agree. On the other hand, I think sneaking an extra vegetable in every now and again isn't a bad idea, as long as it's not a culinary atrocity. One of my favorite moves is to puree roasted red peppers and add them to tomato sauce. Some of the most delicious sauces in the world are made with roasted red peppers. Think rouille, the classic spicy mayonnaise served with Bouillabaise, but it's great with any fish. Yep, I'll have to make it soon.