Mac-n-Cheese, Please!

Sorry about the delay in getting this recipe up. Real life annoyingly gets in the way of the good stuff—ever noticed that?

Just couple notes for this Mornay sauce. You’re going for a proper consistency as much as an actual amount. If you’ve got too much, I’m willing to bet you’ll find a use for this pretty quickly.

Bechamel or Veloute
• 1/4 Cup finely diced aromatics (onion, shallot, leek, celery, carrot, etc)
• Salt, pepper, and any spices you might desire
• 3 Tbsp Butter
• 3 Tbsp Flour (more, if necessary)
• 1 Quart milk or chicken stock

Saute aromatics in a slight bit of oil on medium heat. Once they start to soften, melt in butter.
Add flour and blend in. You may need to add in extra flour to achieve a fairly dry mixture. Try not to brown the roux, though a little extra color never hurt anybody.

Add liquid a very little bit at a time. Start with 1/2 cup increments, and fully blend roux with the liquid each time you add more.

You want a consistency akin to heavy cream—or a bit thicker. Taste, and adjust seasonings.

Mornay
Add 3 to 4 cups of cheese, off heat, and stir until blended. Any cheese that grates well will work just fine. We used Jack, Cheddar, and Swiss.

Add in 1lb of cooked pasta, and you’ve got Mac-n-cheese. Serve it Kraft style (out of the pan, over the sink. What—you know you’ve done it!), or top with bread crumbs--preferably panko--mixed with a little melted butter and bake until the topping is crispy.