Mac and cheese gets an upgrade with fennel
(TNS) -- It’s hard to go wrong with macaroni and cheese. A staple comfort food, its
cheesy goodness is loved by kids and
adults alike, for lunch, dinner or a late-night
snack. Even the bluebox variety can hit the
spot in a pinch. But to really take it to the next level, you really
should go all out with a rich, homemade cheese sauce.
This recipe gets an elegant upgrade with the addition of fennel,
an aromatic veggie with a licorice-like flavor and crunch that reminds you of celery. It gets a quick braise
in Marsala wine, which makes it sweet, and the leftover cooking liquid is then used to make the creamy
sauce with mascarpone and Swiss cheese
instead of the traditional cheddar. Diced
ham steak — leftovers from an Easter ham — make the dish even more of a hearty keeper.
The original recipe calls for making the mac and cheese in a
buttered casserole dish, but I made it a one-pot meal by combining everything in the 12-inch cast iron
skillet used to make the cheese sauce. I also used shredded
Swiss instead of the recommended grated Gruyère.
Don’t skimp on the panko-and-parmesan topping: It adds a delicious crunch.
——— CAMPANELLE GRATIN WITH HAM AND BRAISED FENNEL
PG tested
For fennel:
6 cups water
4 small fennel bulbs, sliced
1/4 cup sweet Marsala wine
2 fresh bay leaves 1 tablespoon kosher salt
For sauce
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups cooking liquid from braised fennel
1 8-ounce container mascarpone
1 cup grated Swiss cheese
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
For assembly 1 tablespoon kosher salt
8 ounces dried campanelle pasta
6 ounces ham steak, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon extravirgin olive oil
Prepare fennel: Place water, fennel, Marsala, bay leaves
and salt in a 4-quart saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until fennel is tender, about 15 minutes. Strain, reserving 2 cups of cooking liquid. Set braised fennel aside.
In a large cast-iron skillet, prepare sauce. Melt butter in pan over medium-low heat. Add flour and
stir until fragrant and golden brown, 3 to 5
minutes. Gradually whisk in reserved fennel liquid. Bring mixture to a boil and cook until thickened, about
5 to 8 minutes. Add mascarpone, Swiss, salt and pepper, then stir to incorporate. Keep warm while you prepare pasta.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Bring a large pot of water seasoned with 1 tablespoon of salt to
boil. Add pasta and only partially cook for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally (it will continue cooking in the oven). Drain pasta.
Mix pasta with braised fennel and ham in the skillet with the cheese sauce. Stir to combine well, making sure all of the pasta is coated in sauce. Cover with panko and Parmesan, then drizzle with oil. Bake until top is golden brown and pasta is bubbling, about 35 to 40 minutes Serve hot.
Serves 6.