Mac and cheese is a simple dish that can be elevated to stardom easily, especially in South Louisiana where plentiful crab, crawfish, shrimp and high-quality sausage can turn any side into an entree.
It's a cinch to create an excellent mac and cheese. Fresh cheese and cream, a quality macaroni and a few tips and you're there.
Until very recently, I could not have written those sentences. Some of the common problems that I've had with mac and cheese is that my sauce breaks, it's too dry or just a little too bland.
By chatting with area chefs, including Cavan's Ben Thibodeaux and Mizado Latin Kitchen's Eric Solar, and by getting advice from home cooks I feel as though I've finally mastered this simple dish.
Here I'm going to share what I learned and offer recipes - one made with cornstarch, one with a roux and one with a processed cheese - that will turn mac and cheese into a South Louisiana show-stopper.
ESSENTIAL TIPS
Choose a stabilizer. To prevent the cheese sauce from separating, consider a cornstarch slurry or a roux or adding a bit of quick-melt cheese, such as Velveeta.
"The thing I do for the sauce, which I think makes a difference, is I use a stabilizer," Thibodeaux said of the cornstarch and water he adds. "I start with a heavy cream. I bring that heavy cream up to temperature (or a simmer) and season it up just a little bit... Once it gets nice and hot, I hit it with that stabilizer."
"With heavy cream you're getting about 36 to 40 percent milkfat, which is a lot. If anybody has ever tried to boil cream at home, you can hold it for a while, but then it's going to start to break. You get that shiny little edge around the outside of the pan and all that is the just the butter coming out, the fat coming out, that cream is just breaking.
"The cornstarch actually helps to keep everything together," he said. "For me, it's just a little bit more forgiving," he said. "You can actually cook it a little bit harder, you can boil it, which is great, so we can make a batch of sauce ahead of time and then to-order we put it together."
A roux works the same way. Take a few tablespoons of flour and a few tablespoons of butter and cook them over a medium heat for about five minutes, just until it begins to darken slightly. I add a small amount of hot cream to the roux and then add the rest of the cream and whisk vigorously to smooth it all out.
Another trick is to use a processed cheese, such as Velveeta or American cheese slices. The same ingredients that create the creamy consistency of the cheese will help your sauce remain creamy and smooth.
The Great Velveeta Debate: Definitely two camps when it comes to mac and cheese.
Keep moisture at bay. Solar and Thibodeaux stressed that water is the enemy of mac and cheese.
Everything that goes into the dish should be cooked and well-drained, from the pasta to any proteins or vegetables.
Shells and elbow pasta can hide water in their curves, so place cooked pasta in a colander and shake and toss. Allow it to sit for a few minutes before placing it back in warm pot, with a bit of olive oil to prevent sticking.
Fat released from meats can cause the cheese sauce to break as well.
"We remove the chorizo from the casing, brown it very well and then drain it," Solar said of Mizado's signature Chorizo Mac and Cheese.
Quality chorizo meat, browned and well-drained, is the key to making this dish successfully.
Select quality, creamy cheeses. Mac and cheese can be made with just about any of your favorite cheeses, but along with cheddar, aged cheddar, Parmesan and Pecorino Romano, include creamy cheeses such as queso blanco or, my new favorite, fontina. Fontina is a standout for both its flavor and smooth creaminess as it melts.
Others that melt well include Gouda, Asiago, fresh mozzarella and Gruyere.
Never use pre-shredded packaged cheese, Solar said, explaining that this cheese is dry and often is tossed with a bit of flour to prevent it from sticking together. This prevents it from melting properly.
Top your mac and cheese thoughtfully. The right topping placed under a broiler to brown and crisp complements that luscious creamy cheese and macaroni, Solar and Thibodeaux agree.
"I really like that crust, but I don't want it to have been (baking for a long time) because then I feel like it gets greasy and starts to break on you," Thibodeaux said. "But I do like that crust, so I top it with the brioche bread crumbs and cheese. Then, if you have a torch at home, you could use a torch or you can put it in a hot oven to get a little brown. It doesn't have to go for long and you might get a few darker spots on top, but they don't taste burned. They taste delicious, actually."
My preference is a mixture of the crunchy, Japanese-style bread crumbs called panko, butter and fresh minced parsley. For a 13-by-9 pan, I'd take about 1/2 cup of the crumbs, add about 3 tablespoons of butter and heat in a microwave for a minute. Take it out, stir and place back in the microwave for 15 to 20 seconds at a time until the crumbs begin to brown. Then, toss in a tablespoon or two of minced fresh parsley. Stir and sprinkle on top of mac and cheese.
Buttery brioche bread crumbs with Pecorino Romano is what Thibodeaux uses. Solar mixes panko breadcrumbs with masa harina, or corn flour, and Mexican or chili spices.
Other suggestions I got through friends and social media: Crumbled potato chips (several recommended plain Zapp's), crumbled pork rinds (oh my!) and crushed buttery crackers, such as Ritz or Captain's Wafers.
The festival will be a free, family-friendly event free, with food and drink for sale and live music.
Other tips include:
Don't overbake. This was my main error and it is what causes the dish to dry out. Thibodeaux runs his under a broiler to brown the top and create a crunchy crust. Solar puts his in the oven for just 10 or 15 minutes. If ingredients are warm or hot when the dish is put together, there is no need for it to remain for long.
Taste before adding salt. Most cheese is salty, so taste your sauce before adding more salt or Creole seasoning that contains salt.
Buy a macaroni that can will carry cheese sauce well. Elbow is the classic and it's what Solar uses. Thibodeaux likes shells because the cups can fill up with sauce.
Save your broken sauce: If cheese sauce begins to separate, add a tablespoon or so of hot water and whisk vigorously. If it won't come back together, try using an immersion blender to get it back to creamy smoothness. If you make the sauce ahead of time and must reheat it, it is best to let it come to room temperature and then place it in a double boiler or over a low flame, Thibodeaux said. Once it begins to warm, begin whisking until reheated.
There are ways to lighten up your mac and cheese and make it better for you. Nutrition columnist Molly Kimball covered the healthier versions of this popular dish in her recent column. See below.
A step-by-step guide to build a better mac and cheese, plus 3 nutritious pre-packaged options and 3 good-for-you recipes
Here is a basic white cheese recipe from Thibodeaux that is made using a cornstarch slurry. Thibodeaux began using this sauce with crab and then moved on to duck confit as the seasons changed. He's also made it with bacon. It's versatile and we offer a few South Louisiana variations below.
It's a bit messy and takes a while, but it is a simple, three-step preparation and the result is luscious meat.
"What I really like about these two cheeses in combination is Irish Cheddar generally you think big and sharp and pretty bold, and then you get that fontina, which is very soft and subtle and a little nutty," he said. "You end up with a sauce that's not overpowering by any means."
Thibodeaux plans to keep some variation of it on the menu because, like Mizado's Chorizo Mac and Cheese, it is popular with diners.
Crab meat mac and cheeseServes 8 to 10
1 pound pasta
1 quart half-and-half
1/4 cup cornstarch slurry (1/4 cup hot water mixed with 4 heaping teaspoons cornstarch)
8 ounces mushrooms, thinly sliced, roasted (optional)
7 ounces Irish Cheddar, grated
7 ounces Fontina, grated
4 green onions, chopped
1 pound crab meat (see variations below)
1/4 teaspoon Creole seasoning, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon cayenne, or to taste
1/2 cup brioche bread crumbs (or Panko)
1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano
Dash of Creole seasoning for top
Preheat broiler.
Boil pasta in lightly salted water to al dente or desired doneness. Drain very well. Toss with a teaspoon or two of olive oil and place back in pot or in a large bowl. Keep warm.
Place cream over medium-low flame and bring just to simmer. Vigorously whisk cornstarch slurry into cream until smooth and slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Add cheese, a handful at a time, whisking until completely melted and smooth.
Place crab in a single layer atop parchment paper and place in a 200-degree oven for about 2 to 3 minutes, no longer, to heat and remove moisture.
Place crab, green onions and mushrooms in a bowl and toss with seasoning. Add to cheese sauce and stir until incorporated.
Add cheese sauce to pasta in bowl. Gently toss until all pasta is covered with sauce.
Scoop mac and cheese into well-greased 13-by-9-inch glass baking dish. (Alternately, place in single-serving, well-greased 2-cup ramekins, if desired.)
Sprinkle with bread crumbs and Romano cheese. Place under broiler for 15 to 20 seconds to brown the topping. Watch carefully so it does not burn.
Roasting mushrooms removes moisture, making them a great addition to cream sauces.
South Louisiana variations:
Proteins should be cooked before adding them to the cheese sauce. All have moisture in them, especially seafood, which can release a lot of water when cooked. To ensure the seafood and meats are warm and dry before adding them to the mac and cheese, lay each on a parchment-lined cookie sheet and place it in a 200-degree oven for 3-4 minutes, no longer.
Crab: If using commercially packaged crab, which can be very moist, place in a colander and let it sit in the sink for a few minutes. If very moist, gently squeeze out as much moisture as possible without crushing the lump crab.
Shrimp: 1 pound peeled shrimp. It's great to use shrimp from a seafood boil, but if that's not available, boil them in salted water with 2 teaspoons of liquid crab boil. Bring water to a boil. Add shrimp. Bring water back to a boil and then turn water off and let sit for 3 to 5 minutes or until shrimp are done. De-vein and rough-chop.
Andouille: 12 ounces sausage, cut into bite-size or smaller pieces.
Crawfish: 1 pound peeled crawfish tails, preferably cooked in a crawfish boil, de-veined. If large, rough-chop.
Here is an alternative mac and cheese made with a blonde roux and sharp cheddar. It is good without a protein, but we tried it with andouille and shrimp and enjoyed it with both.
Andouille mac and cheese
Serves 10 to 12
Serves 10 to 12
1 pound small rigatoni pasta, cooked al dente
12 ounces andouille sausage, cut into bite-size pieces
2-1/2 cups heavy cream
6 tablespoons butter, divided
3 tablespoons flour
7 ounces fontina
8 ounces sharp cheddar
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
6 teaspoons fresh parsley, chopped
Creole seasoning, if desired
Preheat broiler to high and lightly grease a 9-by-13 baking dish.
Make a roux by heating 3 tablespoons of the butter and flour in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring, until thick and smooth, about 3 to 5 minutes, just until it begins to darken.
Heat 1/2 cup of cream, add to roux and quickly whisk until well blended. Add remaining cream to the pan and bring to a simmer.
Cook, stirring until mixture thickens slightly, about 2 minutes. Add grated cheese by handfuls, whisking continuously until smooth, about 5 minutes. Add seasoning and whisk.
Place warm pasta in big bowl or pot. Add andouille. Pour in cheese sauce. Gently mix until pasta is full coated.
Adjust seasoning to taste.
Ladle mac and cheese into baking dish.
Place bread crumbs and remaining tablespoons of butter in a bowl and heat in microwave for 30 seconds. Stir and check, heating for a few seconds each time, until light brown and crisp. Stir in parsley. Sprinkle mixture evenly atop mac and cheese.
Place under the broiler for 10 to 15 seconds, check and continue until golden brown. Watch carefully to prevent burning.
Serve immediately.
If your kids -- or the kid in you -- wants an orange and easy mac and cheese, without the slurries and roux and without all of that whisking, this one might do the trick. Here, we let Velveeta do some of the work. We bought good quality cheese and cheddar and then tossed in a bit of the processed stuff.
It's a trick chefs use when making mac and cheese for "family meals," which is what restaurants call the food served to staff.
"I'll be honest with you, I don't know anybody who does not like Velveeta shells and cheese," Thibodeaux said. "If it's around, you're going to take a bite, you're probably going to take two bites."
He tells this story about one restaurant where he previously worked: "We didn't serve American cheese, but we had it on hand just for family meals. We would just heat up heavy cream in a big old pot and let it boil really good and then reduce down slightly. Then, we'd just take singles and throw them in. And something about that American cheese does the same thing and kind of acts like a stabilizer. After putting the American in there, you can come back with any cheese you wanted and add.
"There's something there about that cream and American cheese working together. I don't even know if I want to know what it is. I just know that it works," he said. "It just makes that sauce more forgiving."
Kid-friendly mac and cheeseMakes 10 to 12 servings
1 pound shell or elbow macaroni, cooked al dente
2-1/2 cups half and half
8 ounces Velveeta, cut into small pieces
7 ounces sharp cheddar, grated
1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9-by-13 baking dish.
Place cream in pot and bring to simmer. Add cheddar and Velveeta. Allow it to sit for a few minutes over low heat, then gently stir until cheese melts.
Pour cheese sauce over pasta and mix until well-coated.
Pour mac and cheese into prepared pan. Sprinkle bread crumbs on top, if desired.
Bake for 15 minutes.
If you want the top to be golden, run it under the broiler for about 10 to 15 seconds.
Serve immediately.
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