Murray’s Classic Mac & Cheese
One of the beautiful elements of mac & cheese is its versatility.
Serves: 6Prep: 20 minutesCook: 40 minutesTotal: 1 hourDifficulty: Easy
Serves: 6
Ingredients
- 1 pound elbow macaroni
- 1 quart milk
- 10 ounces Tillamook Cheddar, grated
- 8 ounces Ciresa Tallegio Cheese, rind removed & cubed
- 6 ounces fontina, grated
- 6 ounces Murray's Estate Gouda, grated
- 8 tablespoons butter
- 1⁄2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1⁄2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1⁄4 teaspoon cayenne
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 lemon, zested
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme, minced
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1⁄2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 bay leaf
- 1⁄2 onion, skin removed
- 2 cloves garlic, grated
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Cut slit into onion and place bay leaf and 2 cloves garlic in slit. In saucepan over medium-low heat, warm milk and onion.
- In separate saucepan, melt butter and add remaining garlic. Slowly whisk in flour and cook 2 minutes. Ladle in warm milk, whisking constantly until combined and smooth.
- Add nutmeg, black pepper, cayenne pepper, 5 ounces cheddar, 5 ounces Taleggio, 3 ounces Fontina and 3 ounces Gouda.
- In separate pan, bring salted water to boil. Cook macaroni until tender; strain and place in bowl. Incorporate remaining cheese and pour sauce over macaroni; toss to combine.
- In small sauté pan, melt 3 tablespoons butter. Add breadcrumbs, thyme and lemon zest.
- In shallow baking dish, place macaroni and cheese and top with breadcrumbs. Bake 20 minutes.