Macaroni And Cheese Soho Grand Recipes

MACARONI & CHEESE (SOHO GRAND HOTEL, NYC)

Steps:

• Shred cheddar cheese in a food processor (yes, it's a lot). Place shredded cheese in refrigerator while making sauce.
• Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling, salted water until the al dente stage (about 10 minutes) and drain. Tip: don't overcook. The pasta will bake later on and overcooking at this stage will make it mushy in the final dish.
• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Meanwhile, melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onions and cook until they are translucent but not brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in flour until the mixture is smooth.
• Gradually add milk to the flour/butter mixture, stirring constantly. Cook and stir for 2 minutes. Add mustard, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Reduce heat and cook, stirring constantly until sauce thickens, about 5 more minutes, Turn off heat, and add two very large hands full of the shredded cheddar cheese to the mixture and stir until the cheese has melted into the sauce.
• Combine the cooked pasta and the cheese sauce and pour into a greased 4 quart baking dish. Sprinkle 1/2 the Parmesan cheese over the top, then sprinkle the rest of the shredded cheddar, then the rest of the Parmesan cheese.
• Bake at 400 F about 20 minutes, or until lightly browned and bubbly.
• Note: This will stay hot 30 - 45 minutes after removing from the oven.

MACARONI AND CHEESE SOHO GRAND

Steps:

• Bring a large pan of salted water to a boil over high heat; cook the pasta al dente (8-10 minutes); drain and place pasta in a large mixing bowl.
• Preheat oven to 350°.
• In a small saucepan over medium heat, scald the milk (to scald milk means to bring it nearly to a boil and stir attentively).
• In a saute pan over med-high heat, melt the butter; stir/saute the onion for about 3 minutes or until soft but not colored.
• Lower heat to low, add in the flour and cook, stirring, about 3 minutes.
• Whisk in the scalded milk, 2 cups cheddar cheese, mustard, nutmeg, and Tabasco.
• Keeping mixture over low heat, simmer, whisking occasionally, until the cheese is melted and smooth.
• Taste and season with salt and pepper.
• Pour mixture over pasta and stir gently to combine.
• Spoon macaroni/cheese mixture into a lightly buttered 2-quart casserole dish; sprinkle with 2 tablespoons cheddar and the Parmesan cheese.
• Bake on the middle shelf in preheated oven for about 25-30 minutes or until bubbling and browned on top.
• Serve immediately.

CHEF JOHN'S MACARONI AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Once the water is boiling, stir in the macaroni, and return to a boil. Cook the pasta uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is cooked through but still slightly firm, about 8 minutes. Drain well.
• Melt 1/4 cup butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. When the butter starts to foam and bubble, stir in the flour; cook on medium heat until flour just begins to turn pale yellow, 3 to 4 minutes. Add thyme, cayenne pepper, and white pepper; cook and stir another minute, then whisk in 1 cup of milk until smooth. Pour in remaining milk and whisk again. Bring the sauce just to a simmer.
• Stir in nutmeg, Worcestershire sauce, and salt; simmer on medium-low heat until thickened, about 8 minutes, whisking often. Turn heat off, then add 2 1/4 cups of Cheddar cheese; stir until melted and combined. Add Dijon mustard.
• Transfer the macaroni into a casserole dish, then pour in the cheese sauce; stir to thoroughly combine sauce with pasta. Mix panko bread crumbs and 1 tablespoon melted butter in a small bowl, and sprinkle crumbs on top of macaroni and cheese. Sprinkle remaining 3/4 cup of Cheddar cheese on top.
• Bake in the preheated oven until bread crumbs and Cheddar cheese topping are golden brown, about 20 minutes.