Cooking to comfort: Macaroni and cheese

I thought about making a big pot of soup for friends who are grieving the loss of their sister to cancer. I also thought about making each of them a healthy salad. I considered making a couple of quiches. I also pondered baking some muffins or cupcakes for them.

 

Then I thought about food writer and cookbook author Alison Roman's opening line in her guide to making macaroni and cheese that appeared in The New York Times: "Macaroni and cheese is like a hug wrapped in a warm sweater, unparalleled in its ability to comfort and satisfy.''

 

Bingo. That's what my friends need, I decided: a hug in the form of food. And I would make a big enough batch to also share with a homebound family member and a friend recovering from a wrist injury to her dominant hand.

 

I waited several weeks to do so, figuring the grief-stricken friends would be inundated with food. That was not the case, they said, perhaps because they were out of state at the time of their sister's passing. The simple act of cooking to bring them comfort got us talking about the tradition of making food for people in their darkest hours, when they're doing everything it takes to get through the work day and care for their families -- while not necessarily nourishing themselves.

 

Macaroni and cheese is an all-American dish that even the pickiest of eaters seem to love. One recipient described this recipe as the "best mac and cheese ever.'' While that's nice to hear, I can't take credit for the recipe. But I did tweak it to include a super flavorful combination of cheeses: Yancey's Fancy XXX-sharp cheddar, smoked gouda and Asiago cheese. I also like to add a little Colman's Original English Dry Mustard to the cheese sauce.

 

I hope the tradition of cooking for the comfort of others never disappears. It made me happy to know I was giving a good meal and some respite to folks in need of a night or two off from cooking. 

  

Macaroni and Cheese for Giving/for a Crowd

(Adapted from a recipe in The New York Times)

 

For the macaroni and cheese:

1.5 pounds cavatappi pasta (or other tube-shaped pasta)

6 tablespoons unsalted butter
¼ cup plus two tablespoons all-purpose flour
6 cups whole milk, at room temperature
1 teaspoon Colman's Dry Mustard

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

Pinch of cayenne pepper

Salt (optional) and freshly ground pepper
1.5 pounds extra sharp cheddar cheese, grated

6 ounces smoked gouda cheese, grated

6 ounces Asiago cheese, grated

For the topping (optional):

1 cup coarse bread crumbs or panko bread crumbs
2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

Salt and freshly ground pepper

 

Butter a 13-by-19-inch baking dish and a 9-by-9-inch baking dish (or as many casseroles as needed if you are sharing this recipe). See note, below.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta until it's not quite done (it's going to continue to cook in a hot oven). Drain, rinse well under cold water and set aside.

Heat butter in a pot over medium heat (the pot should be large enough to hold the cooked pasta later). Whisk in flour and cook, whisking constantly, until flour is foamy and starting to turn a light golden brown, about 4 minutes. Slowly whisk in milk to avoid clumping. Bring liquid to a simmer and continue whisking constantly, until the milk mixture has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon. Add black pepper, dry mustard, smoked paprika and cayenne at this time. Add grated cheese and whisk to blend until the cheese is completely melted.  Add cooked pasta, stirring to coat well. Taste for seasoning and add pepper and salt, if needed.

Heat oven to 425 degrees. 

Make the optional topping: Melt the butter in a small pan; add olive oil and stir to combine. Place bread crumbs in a medium-sized bowl. Add the butter and olive oil and stir well to combine (I used a fork for this). Season to taste with salt and pepper. 

Transfer the macaroni and cheese mixture to buttered baking dishes and sprinkle bread crumbs over the top of each, if using. Place casserole/casseroles on a baking sheet and bake until macaroni and cheese is bubbling and breadcrumbs are golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.

Makes 8 to 10 servings (or more), depending on portion size.

Note: The mac and cheese can be made in advance and frozen in baking dishes (double wrapped) for later use. Thaw in refrigerator before baking and follow instructions above.

Another favorite recipe for macaroni and cheese: CLICK HERE 

 

Note: All photos by Margaret McCormick unless otherwise indicated.