Recipe: Smoky Bacon Macaroni and Cheese and Bechamel Sauce 101

SMOKY BACON MAC

"It's true that you can add bacon to any of the macs in this book and the result will probably be delicious. But since we designed this mac around the salty, smoky taste of bacon, we think it's the best choice if you're craving a big dose of pork. The intense flavor of smoky cheese goes a long way. Even the smallest shred of a smoked Cheddar or Jack will impart a whole lot of flavor to your mac and cheese, so go easy on it. This hearty mac makes a great dish for the winter holidays. (Can't you just see it sitting pretty next to a big, plump turkey?) "

1/2 pound dried elbow pasta
1 pound sliced bacon
2 cups Mac Sauce (recipe follows)
1 cup grated smoked
Cheddar cheese
1 cup grated Jack cheese

Cook the pasta in salted boiling water until a little less than al dente. Drain, rinse with cold water, and drain the pasta again.

Cook the bacon in a frying pan over high heat until crispy, about 8 minutes. Remove extra grease by patting the strips with a paper towel, and then cut into bite-size pieces.

Add the sauce and both cheeses to a large, heavy-bottomed pot and cook over medium heat. Stir until the cheese is barely melted, about 3 minutes.

Add the bacon and stir to combine. Slowly add the cooked pasta, stir, and continue cooking while stirring continuously until the dish is nice and hot, another 5 minutes. Spoon into bowls and serve hot.

Beer Pairing: Red Ale
Wine Pairing: Cabernet Sauvignon

Makes 4 servings

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MAC SAUCE (BECHAMEL 101)
Makes 3 cups

"This simple, creamy, and delicious sauce is the base for all of our mac and cheese recipes. The French call it bechamel. We call it Mac Sauce. We're pretty certain this sauce will change your life - it has certainly changed ours. Once you learn this recipe, you can make countless varieties of mac and cheese just by adding whatever tasty cheese you like, starting with little else than what you have in your fridge. And the great news is that it's really simple - just flour, butter, milk, and salt. The secret is in the whisk - once you've added the milk, just keep stirring and before you know it, your sauce will be thick, creamy, and the foundation of many awesome mac and cheeses to come. This recipe makes three cups of sauce - the recipes call for two, but it is wise to make a little extra in case someone wants their mac a bit saucier. It is also somewhat difficult to make only two cups of sauce because you don't have much liquid to work with - so we've found that three is necessary for the easiest preparation.

You can use Mac Sauce to make amazing biscuits and gravy if you just fry up bacon and add the bacon grease and chopped up bacon. You can also make chicken a la king if you add cooked chicken and peas, and serve it over rice. Mac Sauce is also great as a base or thickener for soups like clam chowder or cream of potato.

A few other things to consider when you are making your Mac Sauce - use whole milk. Don't cut corners and use low-fat or nonfat milk or it will end up tasting watery and gross, resulting in a rather sad-tasting mac and cheese. Also, if you have one around, it's best to use a heavy-bottomed pot to cook the sauce because it will keep the milk from burning and will allow it to cook evenly. One last thing - pay attention to the type of salt you use because it makes a difference."

3 cups whole milk
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons kosher salt or
1 teaspoon table salt

Heat the milk in a pot over medium heat until it just starts to bubble, but is not boiling, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Heat the butter over medium heat in a separate, heavy-bottomed pot. When the butter has just melted, add the flour and whisk constantly until the mixture turns light brown, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Slowly pour the warm milk, about 1 cup at a time, into the butter-flour mixture, whisking constantly. It will get very thick when you first add the milk, and thinner as you slowly pour in the entire 3 cups. This is normal. Once all the milk has been added, set the pot back over medium-high heat, and continue to whisk constantly. In the next 2 to 3 minutes the sauce should come together and become silky and thick. Use the spoon test to make sure it's ready. To do this, dip a metal spoon into the sauce - if the sauce coats the spoon and doesn't slide off like milk, you'll know it's ready. You should be able to run your finger along the spoon and have the impression remain. Add the salt.

The Mac Sauce is ready to use immediately and does not need to cool. Store it in the fridge for a day or two if you want to make it ahead of time - it will get a lot thicker when put in the fridge, so it may need a little milk to thin it out a bit when it comes time to melt in the cheese. Try melting the cheese into the sauce first, and if it is too thick then add milk as needed.

Source: The Mac + Cheese Cookbook by Allison Arevalo and Erin Wade