I've been in a Fondue mood lately. However, when it came down to actually making something for Christmas 2021? I wasn't quite in the mood to make an entire batch of bread. Predominantly because, by the time that I had actually gotten back home on Christmas Day and gotten settled in to the point where I could actually get around to making food, I'd already waited a little bit too long to just be beginning a bread proof! Plus, I was absolutely starving. And, although Gruyère Macaroni & Cheese and Quiche w/ Spinach, Ricotta, Pecans & White Wine aren't exactly the simplest of meals? I will take any excuse to possibly outdo myself. At least so long as I didn't have to make bread!
I'm a foodie. I cook for a living. And I have an entire food blog. So, I'm perpetually bombarded with food-based content. One of the things that perpetually surprises me is how curated it is. So many people have these absolutely gorgeous pictures of food that they're eating with some lifestyle post about how they've just been jogging.
Now, I might get in on some squat challenges when I'm in the mood? But the vast majority of the time my life is quite a bit more chaotic and less carefully curated for the viewing audience! I'm more of a fly by the seat of my pants and throw everything in that looks like it might taste good. I have enough cooking experience that I can usually get away with that! But it definitely does mean that, no matter how much I might think that I'm going in with a game plan? Sometimes just winging it is incredibly fun.
I made this gruyère macaroni and cheese following the basic recipe for Fondue, thinned the sauce with copious amounts of milk and a few more splashes of white wine, and drowned rigatoni noodles in it before roasting in the oven until lightly browned.
Gallery
Variations of Gruyère Macaroni & Cheese
Macaroni and cheese is one of my favorite dishes to make. I'm perpetually mixing and matching ingredients. I made this emmentaler and gruyère version with fondue in mind. Although there are plenty of other things to experiment with. Macaroni and cheese is incredibly forgiving and a fun way to experiment with flavor profiles.
Add about 4 inches of water to a large pot and bring to a boil over high heat.
Cook pasta according to the manufacturer's instructions. This typically entails boiling for about 8-12 minutes, or until barely al dente.The pasta will cook another half hour in the oven, so make sure not to overcook them during this stage!
Drain pasta. You may want to stir it occasionally to keep the noodles from sticking together.
Prepare Roux
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Lightly coat the bottom and sides of a large baking dish with olive oil and set aside.
Immediately when the butter melts, add flour and stir constantly until incorporated. This should take about 3 minutes.Do NOT brown or overcook, though. You just want the butter and flour to incorporate until you add the spices.
Add salt, pepper, mustard, allspice, cayenne pepper, Worcester sauce, lemon juice. Stir constantly for 5 minutes, or until lightly browned.
Add milk, wine, and kirsch, a little at a time, and stir constantly until incorporated after each addition. Adding too much at once can cause the roux to separate. Although this is less of an issue with yogurt as it is milk or cream, it is still something to watch out for!
Meanwhile, grate the cheese and add to roux 1/2 cup at a time. Mix constantly until fully incorporated.
Meanwhile, grate the cheddar cheese and add to roux 1/2 cup at a time. Mix constantly until fully incorporated.
Bake Macaroni and Cheese
Pour macaroni and cheese into greased baking dish.
Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until the top begins to brown.
Let cool slightly and cut into 2-inch squares. Serve immediately.
Tips, Tricks, & Notes
You can reheat macaroni in the oven at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes. However, macaroni and cheese doesn't necessarily reheat well! After refrigeration, the noodles typically harden and the lasagna tends to dry out. The pasta will likely overcook during this process. And the cheese tends to separate and get oily if you reheat too rapidly.
Whatever you do, absolutely do not put macaroni and cheese in the microwave!!
Alternatively, you can reheat on the stovetop. Just place in a skillet with a lid and slowly bring the heat to medium. When the macaroni begins to soften, carefully spear with a silicone spatula to separate. Continue to heat with the lid on and stir occasionally. You may need to add additional milk or Greek yogurt to this to help prevent the noodles from drying out and the cheese from separating.
Leave a Reply