Sunday, September 28, 2008

52. Macaroni and Cheese (p. 223)

Maybe you've noticed it too. Recently, I've seen more and more dishes on restaurant menus that could be described as "comfort-food-on- crack." For instance, not that long ago, my wife and I had lunch at Finale in Natick, Massachusetts (at the mall, no less). When I saw "Truffled Macaroni and Cheese" on the menu, I couldn't resist.

This recipe easily falls into the comfort-food-on-crack category. It elevates that stuff in the blue box to something nearly sublime, but it's not so fussy that it couldn't become a family favorite. The unusual elements of the recipe are the addition of Dijon mustard and red paper flakes, and the use of panko, rather than ho-hum breadcrumbs, for the topping. Of course, there's just something about that homemade cheese sauce that just can't be put in a box.

Date Cooked: September 13, 2008
Degree of Difficulty: Medium
Rating: A-

3 comments:

The Mediocre Cook said...

Macaroni and Cheese. I think it is the one food adults need to add "crack" to so we can pretend to be more sophisticated while we enjoy it just as much as when we were children. I still sneak spoonfuls from my son's bowl before serving it.

Karen said...

I can't stomach the mac & cheese in a box. This recipe sounds great! I'm marking it to make the week the kids are here!

Great blog!

Al said...

I made this a week ago and it was really great. A good simple recipe that had a strong cheddar taste. I really liked it. The only down side, which I learned over the next few days was that it doesn't keep well for leftovers. It becomes a rock hard, and once it is reheated, the oil separates from the cheese mixtures.