Thomas Kellers Macaroni Gratin Recipes

THOMAS KELLER'S MACARONI GRATIN (GRATI DE MACARONI) RECIPE RECIPE

Steps:

• Mornay sauce: 1. Melt the butter in a large heavy saucepan set on a diffuser over medium heat. 2. Add the onion and a pinch of salt and cook slowly, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 minutes, or until the onion is translucent. 3. Sprinkle in the flour and cook for about 3 minutes, stirring constantly so that the roux doesn't burn or color. 4. Whisking constantly, add the milk and cream and whisk until fully incorporated. 5. Bring to a simmer, whisking, then add the bay leaf, peppercorns, and cloves. 6. Move the pan to one side of the diffuser, away from direct heat to avoid scorching, and bring back to a gentle simmer. Adjust the heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook, whisking occasionally, reaching into the corners of the pan, for about 30 minutes. (If the sauce does begin to scorch, pour it into a clean pan - don't scrape the bottom of the pan - and continue). 7. Remove the sauce from the heat and season to taste with salt, a grating of nutmeg, and a pinch of white pepper. 8. Strain the sauce, add the cheese, and whisk to melt. 9. Use immediately, or place in a storage container, press a piece of plastic wrap against the surface to keep a skin from forming, and refrigerate for up to a week. 10. If the sauce is too thick after refrigeration, it can be thinned with a little heavy cream. Mac and Cheese 1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook until tender; drain, rinse under cold water, and drain on paper towels. 2. Meanwhile, put a rack in the top third of the oven and preheat the oven to 400F. 3. Warm the Mornay sauce in a large saucepan over low heat. If the sauce has been refrigerated and seems too thick, thin it with a little additional heavy cream. Remove from the heat and add the macaroni and mushrooms or ham, if using (* I use sauteed smoked bacon). Mix well and season to taste with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. (The mixture may look loose, but the macaroni will continue to absorb sauce and it will thicken as it bakes.) 4. Pour into an 8-cup gratin dish, such as a 9-by-15-inch oval, or into individual gratin or baking dishes. Sprinkle the top with the thyme, cheese, and bread crumbs. 5. Place the gratin dish(es) on a baking sheet in order to catch any sauce that may bubble over, then place in the oven. Turn the heat down to 375F and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the mixture is hot and bubbling around the edges. If the gratin has not browned, turn on the broiler to brown the top.

MACARONI AU GRATIN

Steps:

• Preheat broiler. In a medium saucepan over high heat, bring 2 quarts water and kosher salt to a boil. Add macaroni and return water to a boil; cook until barely al dente, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, stir the grated Grana Padano, Jarlsberg, and Cheddar cheeses to combine. Set aside. Taste a macaroni for doneness: it should be chewy yet firm. Strain macaroni in a colander and set aside.
• Add heavy cream and a pinch of sea salt to an oven-safe skillet; turn heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer. When cream is simmering, fold in the macaroni. Continue to simmer to reduce and thicken, about 1½-2 minutes. Stir in ¼ of the cheese mixture to combine with noodles. Turn off the heat and stir in another ¼ of the cheese. Place remaining cheese over the top in an even layer (do not stir).
• Set rack in the oven about 4 inches from the broiler. Place skillet under the broiler until cheese melts and caramelizes into a golden brown crust, 3-5 minutes (keeping an eye on it so it doesn't burn). Remove gratin from oven and let rest 5 minutes before serving.

THOMAS KELLER'S MACARONI GRATIN (GRATI DE MACARONI) RECIPE RECIPE

Steps:

• Mornay sauce: 1. Melt the butter in a large heavy saucepan set on a diffuser over medium heat. 2. Add the onion and a pinch of salt and cook slowly, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 minutes, or until the onion is translucent. 3. Sprinkle in the flour and cook for about 3 minutes, stirring constantly so that the roux doesn't burn or color. 4. Whisking constantly, add the milk and cream and whisk until fully incorporated. 5. Bring to a simmer, whisking, then add the bay leaf, peppercorns, and cloves. 6. Move the pan to one side of the diffuser, away from direct heat to avoid scorching, and bring back to a gentle simmer. Adjust the heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook, whisking occasionally, reaching into the corners of the pan, for about 30 minutes. (If the sauce does begin to scorch, pour it into a clean pan - don't scrape the bottom of the pan - and continue). 7. Remove the sauce from the heat and season to taste with salt, a grating of nutmeg, and a pinch of white pepper. 8. Strain the sauce, add the cheese, and whisk to melt. 9. Use immediately, or place in a storage container, press a piece of plastic wrap against the surface to keep a skin from forming, and refrigerate for up to a week. 10. If the sauce is too thick after refrigeration, it can be thinned with a little heavy cream. Mac and Cheese 1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook until tender; drain, rinse under cold water, and drain on paper towels. 2. Meanwhile, put a rack in the top third of the oven and preheat the oven to 400F. 3. Warm the Mornay sauce in a large saucepan over low heat. If the sauce has been refrigerated and seems too thick, thin it with a little additional heavy cream. Remove from the heat and add the macaroni and mushrooms or ham, if using (* I use sauteed smoked bacon). Mix well and season to taste with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. (The mixture may look loose, but the macaroni will continue to absorb sauce and it will thicken as it bakes.) 4. Pour into an 8-cup gratin dish, such as a 9-by-15-inch oval, or into individual gratin or baking dishes. Sprinkle the top with the thyme, cheese, and bread crumbs. 5. Place the gratin dish(es) on a baking sheet in order to catch any sauce that may bubble over, then place in the oven. Turn the heat down to 375F and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the mixture is hot and bubbling around the edges. If the gratin has not browned, turn on the broiler to brown the top.

THOMAS KELLER'S MACARONI GRATIN

Steps:

• In a very heavy-bottomed large saucepan with lots of room, melt the butter. If you have a heat diffuser, use that. Add the onion and a pinch of salt and saute gently for 2-3 minutes. Add the flour and stir well, never allowing the flour to brown. Switch to a whisk and slowly add half the milk while whisking constantly. Add all the cream while still whisking, then the rest of the milk. . Bring to a simmer, add the bay leaf, peppercorns, and cloves. Turn the heat as low as possible and simmer the sauce, whisking occasionally, for 30 minutes. In the meantime, boil some water, preheat the oven to 375, prepare the mushrooms or ham or both, mince your time, and grate the cheese. With a 10 minutes left for the sauce, cook the macaroni until tender, then drain and run cold water over it to prevent sticking. Remove the sauce from the heat and season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg to taste. Strain it to remove the cloves and peppercorns, add the cheese, and whisk until it's all melted. . Add the macaroni, mushrooms, and ham, and stir to incorporate. You'll notice the sauce is very loose--the pasta will absord much of it in the oven. Pour into a 9 X 15 inch gratin dish, or individual large ramekins. Sprinkle with cheese, breadcrumbs, and thyme. Cook on a baking dish in case it bubbles over at 375 for 15-20 minutes. Turn on the broiler if it's not browned. Serve in its dish on the table