Recipe: Truffled Macaroni and Cheese Recipes - 4

Truffled macaroni and cheese - menu decription
Source: Smith & Wolensky

Truffled macaroni and cheese

I couldn't find the Smith & Wollensky recipe online. Here are several recipes you can experiment with. Good luck!

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PENNE RIGATE MAC AND CHEESE
BAKED WITH TRUFFLE ESSENCE
Source: Brenden Mesch, winner of the 2005 Dallas Regionals
Serves 4

3 tablespoons kosher salt
8 ounces penne rigate pasta, dry
1 tablespoon black truffle oil
2 tablespoons shallots, minced
3 ounces applewood smoked bacon, minced
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1-1/2 cups heavy cream
1 tablespoon minced basil
1/4 teaspoon minced thyme
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
3 cups Tillamook Extra Sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 cup pecan quarters
1 cup Tillamook Vintage White Smoked Extra Sharp Cheddar, shredded

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Bring 1 gallon of water to a rapid boil with the kosher salt in an 8-quart pot. Drop pasta into the water and stir. Boil for 5-6 minutes total. Pasta should be slightly undercooked at this point. Drain off all water through a colander, sit one minute and toss in a bowl with the black truffle oil. Reserve.

Combine the shallots, bacon, garlic and olive oil in a 4-quart pot and cook slowly for 10 minutes using low heat. Add in the flour, raise heat to medium and cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Temper in the heavy cream and bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 minutes on low.

Add in the herbs and seasonings. Stir in 3 cups of the Tillamook Extra Sharp Cheddar cheese until smooth. Add in the truffle-scented pasta and stir until evenly combined. Divide into individual ramekins and top with the pecans and the shredded Tillamook Vintage White Smoked Extra Sharp Cheddar cheese.

Bake for 10-15 minutes until bubbly and slightly browned on top.

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DAVE'S BLACK TRUFFLE MAC AND CHEESE
Source: Top Chef /Bravo

1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 small shallot, brunoise
6 cloves of roasted garlic
3 oz of black truffles, sliced with truffle shaver
one quart of heavy mfg. cream
one cup of cognac, reduced to demi sec
2 tsp. fresh oregano, finely chopped
2 tsp. fresh thyme stems removed
1 Tbsp. sherry
2 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. white pepper
8 oz. Fontina, finely grated
6 oz Parmiggiano reggiano,finely grated
2 tsp. chipotle Tabasco
2 cups seasoned sourdough croutons, run thru food processor to turn into crumbs
1 lb Fresh pasta noodles (rigatoni or other noodle that will hold sauce), cooked in salt water to al dente

Heat oil on stove top in stock pot and then add shallots and garlic and heavily sweat until aromatic. Deglaze with sherry and then add fresh herbs, truffles and cream and reduced cognac. Cook over low heat until reduced by half and truffle flavor is infused. Season and add parmesan and Tabasco. To this hot mixture add the cooked and drained noodles and the fontina and mix cheeses are melted. Taste noodles for seasoning and adjust as needed., Set aside.

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A Note from Betsy at Recipelink:
Some of the amounts in this recipe that follows are incorrect. It appears exactly as posted on the FoodTV website but the recipe has been converted from a quantity recipe with errors. If anyone still wants to experiment with it, I would hold back adding the truffle oil until you're sure the sauce is correct.

WHITE TRUFFLE MAC AND CHEESE
Source: James Stephenson / FoodTV

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1/2 cup chopped garlic (amount given is wrong - use garlic to taste, maybe 1-2 cloves, not equal amounts garlic and onion)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups whole milk
1 1/2 cups cooked cavatappi pasta (this recipe may need more pasta - 1 1/2 cups cooked pasta doesn't seem like enough in proportion to the sauce)
1/2 cup chopped fresh herbs (equal parts rosemary, thyme and basil)
1/4 cup infused white truffle oil
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1/4 cup Japanese bread crumbs (panko)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the broiler.
Add butter to a saucepan over medium-high heat. Saute the onions and garlic until they turn slightly brown. Add the flour and whisk together for 3 minutes to make a blonde roux. Whisk in the milk and bring to a boil, stirring constantly to prevent the roux from burning. Cook for approximately 10 minutes or until the roux has dissolved completely and you can no longer taste the flour. Add the pasta and stir until hot. Add the fresh herbs, the truffle oil, and half of the Parmesan and stir until dissolved. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Put all ingredients into an ovenproof dish and sprinkle the remaining cheese and bread crumbs on top evenly. Place under a broiler until top becomes golden brown.

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TRUFFLE-SCENTED MAC AND CHEESE
By: Gloria Bradley, Naperville
Source: Chicago Sun-Times, September 1, 2006
MAKES 6 SERVINGS

8 ounces dry small elbow macaroni or mini penne
1 tablespoon white truffle oil
4 ounces pancetta or slab bacon, finely diced
3 ounces button mushrooms, sliced
2 2/3 cups whole milk
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/8 teaspoon each ground nutmeg, ground red pepper
2 1/2 cups Tillamook Extra Sharp Cheddar, shredded
2/3 cup Gruyere, shredded
1 cup Tillamook Vintage White Extra Sharp Smoked Cheddar, shredded and divided
4 tablespoon snipped fresh chives, divided
6 tablespoons panko (Japanese bread crumbs) or fresh bread crumbs
Long chive strips for garnish, optional

Cook macaroni in large saucepan of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to the bite; stir occasionally; drain well. Transfer to a large bowl; toss with truffle oil.

In a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat, add pancetta; saute until golden brown (about 4 minutes). Add mushrooms; saute until tender (about 3 minutes). Drain and place on paper towels. Set aside and keep warm.

Bring milk to simmer in medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Remove from heat. Melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Add flour; stir until pale golden (about 1 minute). Whisk in hot milk. Cook over medium heat until thickened; stir frequently (about 2 minutes). Remove from heat and stir in salt, white pepper, nutmeg and red pepper. Add Cheddar, Gruyere, 1/2 cup smoked Cheddar and 3 tablespoons chives; stir until melted. Add elbow macaroni and pancetta mixture to cheese sauce; toss to coat.

Preheat broiler. Divide mac and cheese mixture between six (1-1/2 cups each) souffle baking cups measuring 3-3/4 by 2-1/2 inches or 41/2 by 2 inches. Sprinkle each with 1 heaping tablespoon smoked Cheddar and 1 tablespoon bread crumbs; sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon chives. Broil until crumbs are golden brown (about 1 minute).

Garnish with chive strips or as desired.