Sunday, August 31, 2008
Food, Recipes

Say cheese

Mac ’n’ cheese at Mortons

Photos/Courtesy of Morton’s

By Antonio Ballester

I’ve been cooking for about 22 years. It’s my passion and one of the first loves of my life, aside from my fantastic family. I’ve worked in many kitchens around the world, most of them having some sort of rendition of the renowned mac ’n’ cheese.

This dish is likely served on every table in America. It’s a staple of American cuisine and quite  possibly the world. It’s amazing how many variations of mac ’n’ cheese you can find out there, from grandma’s famous to the gourmet 10-cheese version. I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone who can’t appreciate the warmth you get in your stomach as you lift your fork full of the first bite with the cheesy outer crust, cooked to perfection, and the strings of cheese connecting your fork to the casserole dish you’ve just taken from the oven. It makes you feel like you are 2 years old and can hardly reach the table, and Mom has cooked your favorite meal for dinner. I mean, who doesn’t remember living on mac ’n’ cheese in college? Thank God for the hot plate and a dollar. Sometimes if I had a little bit of extra money, I would splurge for the deluxe package. Whether you are 2 years old and having your first meal at the family table or 80 years old and at a pot luck dinner at the senior living facility, you’ll find that most everyone loves mac ’n’ cheese. I don’t care if you are out with clients, at an afternoon wedding or just having dinner with the family, you can never go wrong with this classic pasta-and-cheese combo.
    
Let’s break down this absolutely scrumptious dish. First and foremost, the basis of the mac ’n’ cheese is obviously the cheese (hence the name). Depending on which cheese or cheeses you use, this can make or break your dish. I personally think you can use any kind of pasta, with the exception of spaghetti or any rendition of it (duh). It’s not going to affect your dish if you use penne, rotini or your basic elbow macaroni. It all comes back to the cheese. I highly recommend that, no matter what kind of cheese you use, you always include a sharp cheddar. Other great cheeses you can use are Swiss, Parmesan, cream cheese or, if you want to splurge, a good Jarlsberg; these will make you the hit of your neighborhood. I’m sure if you talk to your grandparents or even your parents, you can find a great recipe passed down in the family, or try ours out. SP
Tony Ballester is the executive chef at Morton’s The Steakhouse. 3379 Peachtree Road NE. 404-816-6535. www.mortons.com.

MAC ’N’ CHEESE

Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients:

• 12 ounces dried cavatappi or other small hollow, ridged pasta
1 ½ teaspoons melted butter
• 4 tablespoons finely diced yellow onion 
• 1 ¼ cups heavy cream
• Kosher salt
• 6 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)
• 4 ounces cream cheese, cut into small cubes
• 3 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (about 2/3 cup)
• 1 ounce Swiss cheese, grated (about 6 tablespoons)
• ½ tablespoon chile paste, such as sambal oelek
• 5 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, coarsely shredded (about 1 2/3 cups)
• 8 tablespoons Panko bread crumbs (about ½ cup)

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Cook the pasta according to the package directions until al dente. Drain but leave a little water on the pasta to keep it moist. Reserve another ½ cup of pasta water to thin the sauce. Return to the cooking pot and cover to keep warm. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat and sauté the onions for about 1 minute or until tender. Add the cream and bring to a simmer. Stir in the cheddar, cream, Parmesan and Swiss cheeses and cook, stirring, until the cheeses melt and are fully incorporated into the cream. Let the sauce reach a simmer and stir in the chile paste. You will have about 2 ½ cups of sauce. Remove from the heat, and using an immersion blender or hand-held electric mixer, beat for about 45 seconds until the cheeses and onions are completely blended. The sauce will be thick; thin it with the reserved ½ cup of pasta water and mix well. Season to taste with salt. Ladle the sauce over the pasta and mix well with a rubber spatula. Transfer to a deep, 2-quart baking dish and spread the pasta and cheese evenly. Sprinkle the coarsely shredded cheese over the casserole and sprinkle with bread crumbs. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until hot and bubbling around the edges. Serve immediately.