Mac & Cheese, Please: Cheddar, Swiss & Basil Mac
I figured I'd get one more cozy mac and cheese recipe in before spring is in full force. I meant to get this recipe together last week when it was so bothersomely cold but we've been house hunting and it has really consumed most of my thoughts as of late (as well as my evenings!). Normally my days off and evenings involve a lot of meal planning and recipe creation, but now all I want to do is scour Trulia and MLS listings! Hopefully that will come to an end in the somewhat near future and result in a larger kitchen space for my many culinary endeavors.
A few notes on basil before we get started:
As I've mentioned in previous posts, getting fresh basil in bulk is the cheapest way to go. You seriously can get a huge handful of it for cents if you go this route. The price tag looks steep (it's $20-$30 per pound at the co-op), but when you weigh out what you'll actually need, it weighs so little it barely registers on the scale! So don't be turned off by the initial sticker shock.
Another way to have fresh(er) basil on hand at the drop of a hat is to buy it in frozen cubes. This format works well for basil use in dishes that will be heated and stirred (such as soup, sauces, pastas, etc.). Trader Joe's sells little plastic boxes of basil cubes that you can pop out into your dish, which is very convenient.
Cheddar, Swiss & Basil Macaroni & Cheese
Serves: 2-3
Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
1/2 lb. rotini or other corkscrew-shaped pasta
1 c. shredded swiss cheese
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese
4 tbsp. butter, divided
1.5 tbsp. flour
1 c. milk (2% or whole)
2 tsp. lemon juice
1 tbsp. dijon mustard
2 tbsp. finely minced basil or 3-4 frozen basil cubes
1/2 c. panko or breadcrumbs
1/4 c. shredded or shaved Parmesan
1 tsp. dried parsley
salt/pepper, to taste
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook not quite as long as you normally would, just barely al dente. You will be baking it a bit longer, so it will finish cooking in the oven.
2. While pasta is cooking, add 2 tbsp. butter to a sauce pan over medium heat. Once melted, add flour and whisk. Continue stirring until it thickens and then quickly whisk in half of the milk, followed by lemon juice, mustard and basil. Slowly whisk in cheese, small handfuls at a time, adding more milk if it becomes too sticky and thick. Continue whisking until all cheese has been added and the sauce is smooth.
3. Place hot pasta in a baking dish with another tbsp. of butter and stir until well coated (the butter will melt with the hot pasta). Add in the cheese sauce and stir again until even distributed. In a small bowl or large glass measuring cub, heat one last tbsp. of butter in the microwave until melted. Pour in panko, Parmesan, parsley and salt/peper. Stir until the butter is mixed in. Spread evenly over the top of the macaroni and cheese. Bake in preheated oven until the panko and cheese turn slightly golden.
