Creamy Green Chile Mac
The secret is in the sauce! I am a firm believer that all of the best dishes are created using one of the French Traditional Mother Sauces as a base. This Mac ‘n Cheese sauce starts off with creamy Bechamel, 3 types of cheese then slowly simmered to perfection. The reason why this Bechamel is so delightful is because of the lightly toasted roux, which acts as the base.
Macaroni and Cheese is a such a simple dish but can be spruced up with the most simple of ingredients. Bacon and chopped green chile were added to the dish along with bread crumbs and then baked.
Creamy Green Chile Mac Casserole
Ingredients:
16 ounces Macaroni pasta (or shaped pasta of your choice)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 cups whole milk
1 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup smoked gouda cheese, shredded
1/2 cup sliced or shredded parmesan
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 cup roasted hatch green chile, cooked and diced
For the Topping:
1 1/2 cups bread crumbs
1 cup chopped bacon, cooked
1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Instructions:
- Pre-heat oven to 350
- Bring a large pot of water to boil. 7 – 8 minutes or until al dente. Drain.
- While pasta is cooking, prepare the roux. Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Whisk in flour. Allow to thicken for 1 minute, while stirring. Slowly whisk in milk.
- Once milk has warmed, add in the cheeses. Heat and stir until melted. Fold in macaroni and chile. Season to taste with salt.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared casserole dish.
- In a small bowl, mix the melted butter with the breadcrumbs.
- Sprinkle the macaroni and cheese with the remaining shredded cheeses. Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture and bacon on top of the cheese.
- Bake until browned and bubbly, about 15 to 20 minutes. Allow to sit for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.
