Saturday Beefcake First Course

Farmer’s Mac & Cheese

Joanne Bondy
Old Hickory Steakhouse at the Gaylord Texan Resort

Dallas Texan Joanne Bondy’s Beard House menu was filled with Southern touches like this decadent macaroni and cheese, which she served with a spice-rubbed Angus filet and tomatillo sauce at her dinner.

Yield:6 servings



Ingredients:
1/2 pound dry pasta, such as rigatoni
1/2 head cauliflower, cut into small pieces
1 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons whole grain Dijon mustard
2 pinches of fresh grated nutmeg
2 dashes of Tabasco sauce
2 cups grated Swiss cheese
1/2 wheel garlic and herb Boursin cheese
Basil pesto, to taste (optional)
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
2 cups panko breadcrumbs
1/2 stick butter, melted
1 tablespoon Hungarian paprika
Fresh herbs, such has parsley, basil, or chives, chopped (optional)
3 tomatoes, sliced
Salt and pepper, to taste
Method:
Preheat oven to 350°.




Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta. When the pasta is a few minutes away from being done, add the cauliflower. When al dente, drain both together in a colander.

Heat the cream in the same pot over medium heat, transfer the cauliflower and pasta back to pot with the warm cream. Add the mustard, nutmeg, and Tabasco. Stir over medium heat and allow to thicken slightly, stirring occasionally. Fold in the Swiss cheese and Boursin. You may add a small amount of basil pesto here if you’d like.



Mix the egg into the pasta and transfer to a buttered 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Mix together the Parmesan, bread crumbs, butter, and paprika. Include the herbs if you are including them. Top the pasta with the breadcrumb mixture. Garnish with slices of tomato. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the edges are bubbly and brown.



A recipe for an excellent Southwest Pasta al Forno with appropriate accompaniment--stolen from James Beard Fouundation, the recipe, that is.