🧀❤️ Mac & Cheese! So Cheesy and Delicious..
Quite paradoxically, Mac & Cheese is associated in my mind with...
Quite paradoxically, Mac & Cheese is associated in my mind with ice-swimming! And I will tell you why… Some time ago I went to visit my friend who lives in Finland. It was January, everything was frozen: trees, rocks, the sea… and so much snow, “snow on snow” as they sing in the Christmas carol. My friend wanted to introduce me to the local ritual of plunging into the ice water after a sauna… Or just plunging into the ice water without any sauna attached to it. They love it in Helsinki – every neighborhood has its own place for ice swimming and the engines in the water are running all day and all night to keep the water from freezing. I felt quite brave and went for a plunge without hesitation. And I must say – it does wake you up. But even though I felt quite joyous afterwards, I doubt I’ll ever do it again.
So, why this association? Because we got back home after my swim in the ice water, my friend made Mac & Cheese to warm me up. The most classical version of it which I would like to share with you.
INGREDIENTS:
🌾 12oz (350g) Elbow macaroni
🧈 1/2 tbsp Butter
🧂 1 tbsp Salt
Sauce:
🧈 5 tbsp Butter
🌾 4 tbsp flour
🥛 4 cups (950 ml) Milk
🌟 1/2 tsp Mustard powder or 1 tsp Dijon mustard
🧄 1/2 tsp garlic powder
🧅 1/2 tsp onion powder
🌶️ 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
🌰 1/4 tsp nutmeg
🧀 1 cup (120 g) Parmesan or Pecorino
🧀 1 cup (100 g ) White cheddar cheese
🧀 2 cups (200g) Gruyere cheese
🧀 1 cup (100g) Fontina cheese
Topping:
🍞 3/4 cups (50g) Panko breadcrumbs
🧈 1 tbsp butter
🧂 1/2 tsp salt
Kitchen utensils: cheese grater, saucepan, large ovenproof skillet, spatula or whisk, spoon.