family recipes
Therapy Macaroni
Ingredients
- a handful of freshly coarse sea salt
- 500 g/1 lb. macaroni
- 50 g/1 cup fresh breadcrumbs
- fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 50 g/3 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 60 g/6 tablespoons plain/all-purpose flour
- 625 ml/2 1/2 cups milk
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 150 g/1 1/4 cups grated Monterey Jack or other mild, semi-hard cheese
- 150 g/1 1/4 cups grated medium Cheddar
Directions
- Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil. Add the coarse sea salt, then let the water return to a rolling boil. Add the macaroni, stir well and cook according to the package instructions until very tender. Stir periodically to prevent the macaroni from sticking together. When cooked, drain, rinse well under running water and let drip dry in a colander.
- Preheat the grill/broiler to medium.
- To make the béchamel sauce, melt the butter in a saucepan.
- Stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Pour in the milk in a steady stream, whisking constantly, and continue to whisk for 3-5 minutes until the sauce begins to thicken. Season with fine sea salt.
- Remove from the heat and add the cheeses, mixing well with a spoon to incorporate. and adjust the seasoning. Put the cooked macaroni in a large mixing bowl. Pour over the hot béchamel sauce and mix well. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
- Transfer the macaroni mixture to a baking dish and spread evenly. Top with a good grinding of black pepper and sprinkle the breadcrumbs evenly over the top. Grill/broil for 5-10 minutes until the top is crunchy and golden brown. Serve immediately.
Infinity Minus One Grilled Cheese
Ingredients
- 2 slices of bread, Texas toast preferable
- butter
- a few (at least 3) slices of cheese, Brie preferable
- Italian seasoning
- a slice or two of meat (optional)
Directions
- Put a pan over medium heat, or a griddle at 300 degrees.
- Butter and season the outer sides of the bread.
- Place the cheese and meat between the slices.
- Place the sandwich on the pan or griddle, checking it every 30 seconds. Flip it over when it's well browned, and repeat for the other side. Remove the sandwich.
- Place one slice of cheese on the pan or griddle, then move the sandwich on top of it. Flip the sandwich when the cheese is baked in, then repeat for the other side.
- Wait for the sandwich to cool down (if desired,) then eat it.