Mac and Many Cheeses
1 pound elbow macaroni
6 tablespoons butter
⅓ cup flour
1 pint heavy cream
1 pint 2% milk
1¼ pound cheese hand shredded (you can literally use any cheese, as long as it’s not like Cheez-Whiz. Try and pick at least four different types. This weekend I used swiss, caramelized onion cheddar, dill havarti and colby pepper jack)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons stone ground mustard
4 tablespoons panko breadcrumbs
1) Cook the macaroni according to the package, maybe a minute less
2) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
3) Drain the pasta. In the same pot, melt butter over low heat
4) Turn the heat up to medium. Slowly whisk flour into the butter until there are no more clumps. Really do it slowly
5) Combine heavy cream and milk together and again slowly slowly slowly whisk it into the butter and flour concoction. After all the milk and cream are in there it might seem like nothing but keep whisking for about five minutes and eventually your roux will become thick
6) Remove from heat. Add all of the cheese and whisk until it’s melted together
7) Add the soy sauce and mustard and stir
8) Add the macaroni back to the pot and stir until everything is combined
9) Transfer the mac and cheese to a baking dish, top with the breadcrumbs and bake for thirty minute