Black and Tan Irish Mac and Cheddar
Recipe provided by Autumn Clements
- Skill Level: Intermediate
- Servings: Makes 6 servings
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Preparation: 30 minutes
- Cooking: 30 minutes
- Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories 855, Total Fat 42 g, Saturated Fat 24 g, Carbohydrates 77 g, Dietary Fiber 3 g, Sugars 12 g, Protein 32 g, Cholesterol 121 mg, Sodium 842 mg
Ingredients:
- 6 cups water
- 24 ounces lager beer
- 16 ounces rustic-shaped pasta (Ziti)
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 cup half-and-half
- 12 ounces evaporated milk
- 5 tablespoons lightly salted quality Irish butter
- 2 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground dry mustard
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
- 1/3 cup stout beer
- 3 ounces shredded smoked Gruyere
- 8 ounces shredded Irish Cheddar
- 1/2 cup bread crumbs (Japanese panko or fresh country white)
- 1/2 cup crispy cooked applewood or maple bacon crumbles
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves or a few sage leaves for garnish
Instructions:
- Bring the water and lager beer to a boil in a 4 1/2-quart or larger pot over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until just al dente. Drain and set aside, keeping warm.
- While pasta is cooking, heat the milk, half-and-half, and evaporated milk in a 3-quart saucepan over medium-high heat until just boiling; keep hot. In a separate 4-quart saucepan over medium heat, melt 3 tablespoons of butter and whisk in the flour until it just starts to turn golden. Slowly add the hot milk mixture along with the mustard, kosher salt, cayenne pepper, and stout beer, then bring to a vigorous simmer. Lower the heat and stir in the shredded cheeses until melted and smooth. Transfer the cooked pasta to a serving dish and pour the cheese sauce over it.
- In a large saut pan, melt the remaining butter over medium heat. Stir in the bread crumbs and cook until golden brown, then mix in the crispy bacon crumbles. Evenly sprinkle this topping over the macaroni. Garnish with fresh cilantro or sage leaves before serving.
