This is an easy and delicious way to prepare macaroni & cheese. This custard-based method results in an incredibly silky sauce that is not grainy. Why evaporated milk? The evaporation and sterilization process stabilizes the milk, which in turn stabilizes the mac & cheese, resulting in a deliciously silky sauce.
[bold] GREG'S FAVORITE GO-TO RECIPE FOR MACARONI & CHEESE [/bold]
[bold] Ingredients [/bold]
[bold] BREAD CRUMB TOPPING [/bold]
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup fresh bread crumbs or panko
1 ounce sharp Wisconsin cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese, grated (about 1/4 cup)
[bold] CREAMY MAC & CHEESE [/bold]
2 large eggs
1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk
1/4 teaspoon hot red pepper sauce
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dry mustard, dissolved in 1 teaspoon water
1/2 pound of macaroni (I like using gemelli but you can use elbow or any other pasta you like)
4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
11 ounces sharp Wisconsin cheddar, American, or Monterey Jack cheese, grated (about 2 3/4 to 3 cups)
[bold] Procedure [/bold]
[bold] 1. For the bread crumb topping [/bold]: Heat butter in large sauté pan over medium heat until foam subsides. Add 1 cup of bread crumbs or panko; cook, tossing to coat with butter, until crumbs just begin to color. Season to taste with kosher salt; set aside. When cool, stir in cheese.
[bold] 2. For the macaroni & cheese [/bold]: Mix eggs, 1 cup evaporated milk (this is not the entire can), hot pepper sauce, 1/2 teaspoon salt, pepper, and mustard mixture in small bowl and set aside.
3. Bring 2 quarts water to a boil in a saucepan or Dutch oven. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and macaroni; cook until almost tender but still a little firm to the bite. Drain and return to pan over low heat. Add the 4 Tablespoons butter and toss to melt.
4. Pour the egg mixture over the buttered macaroni, along with three-quarters of the cheese; stir until thoroughly combined and cheese starts to melt. Gradually add remaining evaporated milk and remaining cheese, stirring constantly, until mixture is hot and creamy, about 5 minutes.
5. Pour cooked macaroni & cheese into a 9-inch square baking dish (or a similarly sized ovenproof dish). Spread crumbs evenly over top. Place dish under a preheated broiler (the oven rack should be about 6 inches from the broiler). Broil until the crumbs turn a deep golden brown (1 to 2 minutes but keep a careful eye on this!). Remove from oven and let stand for about 5 minutes.
[bold] Note: [/bold] If you don't want to bother with the crumbs and the broiler, just follow the recipe but use 12 ounces of cheese (about 3 cups), rather than 11 ounces, and serve the hot and creamy macaroni and cheese from the saucepan. You can also make some buttered toasted crumbs and just sprinkle over each serving.
This recipe will serve 4 people as a main course or 6 to 8 people as a side dish.