Misstropolis

Tuesday, May 05, 2009

Mama’s Mac-n-Cheese Finally Grows Up

by Dawn Oates

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Some mothers will sink to great depths to keep their daughters happy, but that’s just fine with me. See, throughout my high school years, my mother would make my favorite dish for birthdays, holidays, and every special occasion imaginable. For me it was bliss. For others it was an eyesore and a heart attack waiting to happen. She called it “bacon casserole,” although bacon was really just a minor player in the dish. From ages 14 to18, I thought it was truly the most delicious and luxurious meal on the planet.

Macaroni and cheese in any form is one of the best comfort foods imaginable, a real classic and one that is tough to screw up. It often comes in a box, it’s easy to cook, and can accommodate all sorts of mix-ins to make it seem more exciting. The “Blizzard“ of pasta dishes, it’s popular as much for its creamy flavor and texture, as it is for its uncanny ability to make you want to take a nap after consuming.

My mom’s version consisted of a pound of elbow macaroni, two cans of Campbell’s cheddar cheese soup, a pound of raw bacon, and a Ritz cracker crumble topping. She would cook the elbow Mac, stir in the soup, along with the diced up bacon. Then she’d bake it in the oven for about an hour and serve piping hot. I would eat it until my stomach felt like it would explode.

When I returned home after my first year of college, eager to impress my college boyfriend, my mother attempted to help the cause by preparing my favorite casserole. I watched, perplexed, as my boyfriend pushed the creamy yellow/orange elbows around on his plate.

When I asked him about it later, he sheepishly explained that it looks so heavy and gross that he couldn’t bring himself to eat it. In fact, he couldn’t understand how anyone could enjoy it. I suppose it did have a charming white trash quality to it, but his reaction to the dish made me question its integrity. I never ate it again, and came to regard it as the Ramen noodles or hot dogs of quick dinner prep. But as my palate evolved over the years and I began to appreciate food that is appealing to the eye as well as the taste buds, I still yearn for Mom’s bacon casserole.

I got to thinking, fashion from the 80s is coming back in style, albeit with a contemporary twist. Is it safe to say that my bacon casserole can make a comeback too?

To answer this question, I contacted Jason Santos, executive chef at Gargoyles on the Square, and tasked him with re-creating my favorite childhood dish in a more contemporary style.

Was it possible to do a nicer, more refined take on bacon casserole that still made me as happy inside? OH, YES. Here’s what he came up with:

Great in the Sack Mac (serves 4)

1 lb elbow macaroni, cooked
3 c. half and half
1 c. evaporated milk
1 c. mascarpone
1 c. sharp cheddar
1 c. gruyere
2 tsp. mustard powder
½ tsp. cayenne
1 tsp. dried thyme
½ tsp. Worcestershire
½ Tbsp. hot sauce
Salt and pepper to taste

For Pancetta Breadcrumbs:

1 c. pancetta, minced
2 tsp. fresh minced garlic
1 Tbsp. onion minced
1 tsp. paprika
1 Tbsp. of fresh chopped chives
1 c breadcrumbs (Take day old bread and roughly chop)

Cook elbow macaroni and transfer to a cast-iron pan. Set aside. Bring half and half to simmer. Fold in cheeses and spices. Whisk into a creamy sauce. Pour over macaroni.

In a separate pan, sautee pancetta until crispy. Add onion and garlic until caramelized. Toss in chives.  Stir breadcrumbs into pancetta until lightly toasted.

Top macaroni with breadcrumb mixture and bake at 375 degrees until topping is golden brown.

*Serve immediately and make sure there’s a couch nearby!