Leather Storrs Macaroni & Cheese
Serves Four
Leather Storrs is the Chef at Noble Rot, a great wine bar on SE 28th and Ankeny in Portland, OR.
8 ounces macaroni pasta
4 cups whole milk
1 bay leaf
3 allspice berries
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon coarse salt or 3/4 teaspoon table salt
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 1/2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese (6 ounces)
1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for topping
Tabasco sauce to taste
1/2 cup bread crumbs for topping
Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and return to pan to keep warm.
In a medium non-stick saucepan over medium heat, combine milk, bay leaf, allspice, red pepper flakes, and salt. Heat milk just to a boil; remove from heat and set aside. Just before using in the sauce, strain out the bay leaf, allspice and pepper flakes.
In another saucepan, melt the butter over low heat; whisk in the flour and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often. Remove from heat. Add stained milk mixture, 1 cup at a time; whisking smooth after each addition. When all the milk has been added, return to medium-low heat and cook approximately 15 minutes or until slightly thickened, whisking frequently and scraping the bottom and sides of the pot so the sauce does not sticks. Remove from heat. Stir in Dijon mustard, cheddar cheese, and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese to the hot sauce. Add additional Tabasco sauce to taste and additional salt if needed. NOTE: The sauce will keep, covered, for at least 5 days in the refrigerator.
Combine cooked macaroni with 3/4 of the cheese sauce. The macaroni should be soupy, as it will absorb a large amount of sauce. If the macaroni is not soupy, ladle more sauce over the macaroni. Note: The dish can be covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days at this point
To cook, preheat oven to 350°F. Top the dish with breadcrumbs and additional Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Place on a baking sheet and bake approximately 25 minutes (longer if refrigerated) until hot. To give a browned and bubbly finish, place the dish under the broiler approximately 3 minutes or until the top is golden and bubbly. Remove from oven and serve immediately.