This version used marble cheddar and no jalapenos. Hate it when you forget ingredients and they’re fresh in your garden!
Obviously one of the toughest classic dishes to make GF – besides bread – would be macaroni and cheese. It’s hugely popular across the top two thirds of North America and has an almost undeniable champion brand – Kraft Dinner or KD as it’s called in the Great White North.
Of course, there are GF varieties that you can purchase – at about four times the price. But either way you go, GF or otherwise, nothing really beats homemade with a thick cheese sauce. My version has lots of additions to add complexity to the flavour.
Mac ‘n’ Cheese
4 cups (900 g) GF macaroni noodles
5 cups (1.15 kg) shredded marble cheddar or Pepper Jack, or a combination thereof
1 red onion
1/4 cup (60 g) bacon pieces
2 tbsp (30 g) minced garlic
1 tbsp (15 g) pepper flakes or two-three diced jalapenos
1 tbsp (15 g) cilantro
1/4 cup (60 g) butter
1/4 cup (60 g) GF flour
4 cups (1 l) milk
GF breadcrumbs
- Boil you noodles until done.
- While the noodles are boiling, saute your diced onions with the butter, garlic, pepper flakes, cilantro and bacon.
- When the onions are translucent, add the flour straight to the mixture creating a roux. Cook the roux for a couple minutes until slightly browned.
- Preheat your oven to about 350 degrees
- Add in the milk cold, whisk together and then let cook over a medium heat so that the sauce will thicken. Once it thickens to the desired consistency – within about 10-15 minutes – add in your self-shredded cheese.
- Once the cheese has melted, pour the mixture over the noodles in a casserole dish and stir. Then evenly distribute some breadcrumbs over the top – just enough to coat it. Put it in the oven and bake for 30 minutes.
- Let it stand for a few minutes and then put your fresh chopped green onions or scallions on top and serve!