Ultimate Mac n Cheese

The biggest argument we have is enriched pasta or whole wheat. I’m the whole wheat fan, my husband is the enriched pasta fan. Today, I won the argument and we got whole wheat. Every decision with the ultimate mac and cheese is considered carefully, from what ham steak to get to which cheeses and pasta. We were contemplating the cheeses, when the fromager came by to discuss our choices. I told her, we were making the “ultimate mac and cheese” and she got very excited about the recipe.  Then my husband said, “well, it can’t be ultimate because we’re using whole wheat pasta.” He snickered, then hid in the next isle while I made the cheese decisions.

We paired the ultimate mac and cheese with Deschutes Brewery’s Mirror Pond Pale Ale. The rich, creamy cheese enhanced the cascade hops in the Pale Ale. The citrusy hops in the Pale Ale heightened the ham steak and leeks. We both agreed, the Pale Ale made an excellent choice with the Ultimate Mac and Cheese!

Ingredients:
16 oz Pasta (elbows, rigatoni, bow ties, or your favorite)
½ lb Shredded Cheddar. Recommend Barbers 1833 English Vintage Cheddar.
½ lb Other favorite cheese. Recommend Dubliner Cheese. Cut into ¼ inch cubes.
1 lb ham steak, cut into ½ inch cubes
2 leeks, sliced thin
3 cups whole milk
6 T butter
3 T flour
1 egg, beaten
1 cup breadcrumbs
salt
white pepper

Instructions:
Expect to have a lot of dishes out and every burner of your stove in use to make this recipe. This recipe will make a mess, but it is well worth it.

Start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and cooking the pasta. You can follow the directions on the package, but I normally put a large pot of water on to boil with a splash of oil and a hand full of kosher salt. When the water is at a rolling boil, I pour in the pasta and turn the heat down to medium high. Boil the pasta for 10 to 15 minutes until al dente. Al denta pasta is firm, not crunchy nor squish soft. Drain the pasta well.

While the pasta is boiling, melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the ham and leeks. Lightly salt, the ham already has salt so you don’t want to overdo the salt and dust with white pepper. Turn the heat down to low and let the mixture simmer.

In a small sauté pan, melt 3 tablespoons of butter. Stir in 3 tablespoons of flour. The mixture should be thick and firm, but not hard or solid. It should still be liquid like. In a medium sauce pan, bring 3 cups milk to boil, just at the start of the boil, take the milk off the heat and stir in the butter and flour mixture. Put the sauce on medium heat and simmer, stirring constantly. When the sauces begins to thicken take it off the heat. Temper the beaten egg by pouring a slow stream of the hot sauce into the egg slowly while you beat it. About ½ to ¼ cup should do it. When the egg has been brought up to the temperature of the sauce, pour it into the sauce and stir in. Place the sauce on low heat and stir a ½ of the shredded cheddar into the sauce at a time until all the cheddar has melted.

In a large bowl, mix the pasta, ham and leeks, cheese sauce, and cubed cheese. Use the final tablespoon of butter to butter the bottom and sides of two 9 X 9 casseroles.  Pour equal portions of the mixture in the casseroles, sprinkle bread crumbs on top. Bake in 350 degree Fahrenheit for 30 to 40 minutes until hot and bubbly. Serve with a mixed green salad.

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