- Thread starter
- #61
Thanks! The pepper rack was a snap to clean as well.
February Mess Hall Group Cookout - Theme: Mac & Cheese
- Thread starter DoctorShavegood
- Start date
Thanks! The pepper rack was a snap to clean as well.
Looks nice Aaron. That pepper rack looks like it will see a bit of action.
I made another entry. I did not make the sauce thin enough so dried a bit when baking.
Note to self always add more milk when finishing in the oven.
This one is basic three cheese. Aged cheddar, gruyere and parmesan cheese. Added to the sauce was some nutmeg, paprika, cherry tomatoes halved and a good amount of pepper. Topped with panko bread crumbs with butter.
I made another entry. I did not make the sauce thin enough so dried a bit when baking.
Note to self always add more milk when finishing in the oven.
This one is basic three cheese. Aged cheddar, gruyere and parmesan cheese. Added to the sauce was some nutmeg, paprika, cherry tomatoes halved and a good amount of pepper. Topped with panko bread crumbs with butter.
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- Thread starter
- #63
You're a cheese wiz.
But Will Studd is a cheese guru.
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Great looking Mac & Cheese dishes going on here.
Chris, I like your idea of trying the gnocchi instead of mac.
Dave, it looks like those pork chops more than made up for the failure of the orange mac to live up to your memories.
Aaron, yours looks killer good, really nice and creamy.
So Jim, who won your cook-off? How was the lobster in the mac & cheese?
Chris, I like your idea of trying the gnocchi instead of mac.
Dave, it looks like those pork chops more than made up for the failure of the orange mac to live up to your memories.
Aaron, yours looks killer good, really nice and creamy.
So Jim, who won your cook-off? How was the lobster in the mac & cheese?
Yesterday's dish was about nostalgia, today it's all about the pasta so...
Side
My butcher made me up some veal sausage with sundried tomatoes and fresh basil. De-case these and they make a terrific base to build a tomato sauce for the pasta of your choice, preferably something chunky but that's another day.
Cheese
White, white ball of mild buffalo mozzarella, sliced down to dime size pieces and marinated for the afternoon in EVOO with some muffuleta (a lot of spellings for that one) olive mix, chili flakes, lemon zest, minced garlic, parsley and minced dried tomatoes.
Mac
Cuttle fish ink pasta. In the summer when the gardens bursting with tomatoes, basil and garlic we make an uncooked pasta sauce. This is the pasta we've pencilled in for next summer's pleasure. Now... i keep burping raw garlic...
And what's this about a football game?
Take care!
dave
Side
My butcher made me up some veal sausage with sundried tomatoes and fresh basil. De-case these and they make a terrific base to build a tomato sauce for the pasta of your choice, preferably something chunky but that's another day.
Cheese
White, white ball of mild buffalo mozzarella, sliced down to dime size pieces and marinated for the afternoon in EVOO with some muffuleta (a lot of spellings for that one) olive mix, chili flakes, lemon zest, minced garlic, parsley and minced dried tomatoes.
Cuttle fish ink pasta. In the summer when the gardens bursting with tomatoes, basil and garlic we make an uncooked pasta sauce. This is the pasta we've pencilled in for next summer's pleasure. Now... i keep burping raw garlic...
And what's this about a football game?
Take care!
dave
I don't know that either of us won over the other. I mean it was Mac and Cheese, right? It's ALL A WIN!
It came out fantastic with the lobster -- really yummy and the mix of cheeses was able to stand up to the seafood taste without overpowering it. The trick I think was having some bigger chunks for the "lobster experience" and well as some finely chopped bits to bring the flavor through the whole casserole. Also the crispy prosciutto brought a nice saltiness and meatiness to contrast with the lobster. (I just dropped a couple of thin sheets into a fry pan for a couple of minutes until crispy, chopped it up and sprinkled it on top of the bread crumb topping after I took the mac and cheese out of the oven.)
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- #68
Dave, the black pasta is unnerving in a good way. The sausage though has my attention. Telling the butcher what you want has some people intimidated. When I make chili I like the butcher to make it fresh with a coarser grind. They're happy to do it.
Hi Aaron,
Never meant to put a damper on the proceedings, travelling outside the box, "getting funky" as instructed back on page one. Found the recipe and picture and knew i had to make it. I'd come across the black pasta before but never tried it (but have eaten inky cuttlefish). The pasta had a great texture and subtly different taste as per the recipe, the idea being to let the pasta shine. My wife and daughter (even as a kid a fearless unpicky eater) finished off the leftovers tonight and were talking of the summer uncooked sauce, we'll be back in black.
The veal sausage was something my butcher used to have all the time but the last few times i've hoped to get some he's been out of fresh and only had frozen, maybe not enough demand. I shop Thursdays and sometimes drop back in Saturdays and he offered to make me up however much i needed for Saturday pick up and i took him up on his offer, delicious! My wife and daughter finished off the last of those too.
The week is still young, Tuesday, hmm...
Take care!
dave
Never meant to put a damper on the proceedings, travelling outside the box, "getting funky" as instructed back on page one. Found the recipe and picture and knew i had to make it. I'd come across the black pasta before but never tried it (but have eaten inky cuttlefish). The pasta had a great texture and subtly different taste as per the recipe, the idea being to let the pasta shine. My wife and daughter (even as a kid a fearless unpicky eater) finished off the leftovers tonight and were talking of the summer uncooked sauce, we'll be back in black.
The veal sausage was something my butcher used to have all the time but the last few times i've hoped to get some he's been out of fresh and only had frozen, maybe not enough demand. I shop Thursdays and sometimes drop back in Saturdays and he offered to make me up however much i needed for Saturday pick up and i took him up on his offer, delicious! My wife and daughter finished off the last of those too.
The week is still young, Tuesday, hmm...
Take care!
dave
- Thread starter
- #70
I've seen the black pasta made on TV recently, sorry I don't remember the name of the show, it looked amazing and something you would want to make on Halloween.
Jeez you guys are killing it! Lots of good looking food and as usual the bar is really high.
Mine was a first attempt ever at homemade and it was good enough to eat but needs tweaks. Recipe is on the Pioneer Woman website so I'm sure that done correctly it's quite good. I overcooked the noodles a smidge. Somebody above said they need to remember when finishing in the oven to add more milk; I think mine suffered a little from that as well. Not as creamy as I would have liked, sort of mushy and sticky. It was actually pretty good right out of the pot before adding more cheese and baking, probably just go with that next time. My daughters wanted some more, they were asking me about it today so sometime between now and the weekend I think I'll have another go at it.
Mine was a first attempt ever at homemade and it was good enough to eat but needs tweaks. Recipe is on the Pioneer Woman website so I'm sure that done correctly it's quite good. I overcooked the noodles a smidge. Somebody above said they need to remember when finishing in the oven to add more milk; I think mine suffered a little from that as well. Not as creamy as I would have liked, sort of mushy and sticky. It was actually pretty good right out of the pot before adding more cheese and baking, probably just go with that next time. My daughters wanted some more, they were asking me about it today so sometime between now and the weekend I think I'll have another go at it.
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- #72
Otto, if your daughters were asking about it the day after.....then you are a big cheese head hit.
Macaroni & Cheese baked with uncooked macaroni and cottage cheese??? I was Intrigued.
http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1015825-creamy-macaroni-and-cheese
I sometimes add cottage cheese in the place of buttermilk in cornbread.
Unsolicited tips:
You need both more sauce than you think and probably thinner than you think.
I boil the pasta about to a bit more than halfway done. (so there's a subtle bit of uncooked pasta at the very center of whatever shape you are using.
When you stir it in to the partially cooked pasta, you probably want about 50% more sauce than what you want it to look like when it's "done" cooking.
You want it thin enough so that the pasta can absorb quite a bit as it finishes cooking. The starch from the pasta will thicken the sauce as well.
Visually, think of slightly thicker than a cream-based soup consistency.
I cook it in the oven at 375° with a crumb topping for about 30 minutes.
Also, remember that the mac and cheese will set up after you take it out of the oven. You want to let it rest for 15 minutes before serving.
Also -- IMHO Pioneer Woman recipes are kind of hit or miss. The best general Mac and Cheese recipe I've found is Martha Stewarts. Follow it exactly the first time -- it's a very good basic method. Tweak it after that.
Also one thing I learned (from the Martha Stewart recipe) is about cheddar cheese -- the sharper and more aged stuff doesn't melt smoothly. The non-sharp cheddar melts into the creamy smoothness you want. You need to use a good melter as the base, and add other cheeses as accents. if you try to use all extra sharp aged cheddar it will be grainy tasting, and "breaks" much easier.
Edit -- here's Martha's recipe:
http://www.marthastewart.com/271998/perfect-macaroni-and-cheese
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Well, maybe a little cheese head hit
I made it a couple of weeks ago right after I knew what the theme was. We had company and needed a side.[MENTION=5413]langod[/MENTION] appreciate the tips, and thanks for linking that recipe!
Which is why I always mix Jack & cheddar... in tacos, mac, whatever.
- Thread starter
- #79
Macaroni & Cheese baked with uncooked macaroni and cottage cheese??? I was Intrigued.http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1015825-creamy-macaroni-and-cheese
Connie, I never cared for cottage cheese, but I must say that looks great.
Chili Flavored Mac 'n Cheese
Added 3 kinds of powdered pepper & cumin (and half an onion) to the butter/oil before starting the rue.
Two kinds of Cheddar (sharp & one labelled "aged 6 minutes"or some such) & Monterey Jack.
Steeped oregano & bay in the cheese sauce while prepping the bottom, giving time to adjust seasonings (peppers, cumin, salt, black pepper).
Bottom layer is chipotle sausage that I browned separately. Deglazed the pan with (Of course!) tequila & used that to moisten the sausage.
Topping is panko bread crumbs, olive oil, garlic, salt & black pepper.
Just one picture. Can't really see the layer on the bottom in the pan, and it fell apart getting to the plate. The cooking is mostly making a rue which I already posted in the soup thread (here) though I see the first post (of 3 for the soup) is broken.
Added 3 kinds of powdered pepper & cumin (and half an onion) to the butter/oil before starting the rue.
Two kinds of Cheddar (sharp & one labelled "aged 6 minutes"or some such) & Monterey Jack.
Steeped oregano & bay in the cheese sauce while prepping the bottom, giving time to adjust seasonings (peppers, cumin, salt, black pepper).
Bottom layer is chipotle sausage that I browned separately. Deglazed the pan with (Of course!) tequila & used that to moisten the sausage.
Topping is panko bread crumbs, olive oil, garlic, salt & black pepper.
Just one picture. Can't really see the layer on the bottom in the pan, and it fell apart getting to the plate. The cooking is mostly making a rue which I already posted in the soup thread (here) though I see the first post (of 3 for the soup) is broken.
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