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Christmas: Macaroni and Cheese with Ham

Source of Recipe

From "The Christmas Table" by Diane Morgan


Recipe Introduction

"Go ahead and call me old-fashioned because one of my favorite ways to use leftover ham is in a homey casserole of macaroni and cheese. This classic comfort food has been maligned over the years by school cafeterias and hospital kitchens, let alone food manufacturers trying to convince children with clever advertising that what comes out of a blue box is honest-to-goodness macaroni and cheese. Truly, what was intended was a bubbly-hot dish of al dente macaroni covered with a silken cheese sauce under a crusty topping of mixed bread crumbs and Parmesan. I've added diced holiday ham to make this a sublime leftover favorite."

List of Ingredients

◦  5 Tbsp unsalted butter, plus 1 tablespoon, at room temperature, for preparing the dish
◦  5 Tbsp all-purpose flour
◦  3¼ cups milk
◦  ½ tsp kosher or sea salt
◦  1 tsp dry mustard
◦  ½ tsp hot pepper sauce
◦  5 cups (12 ounces) shredded extra-sharp Cheddar cheese
◦  12 ounces small elbow macaroni
◦  3 cups ½-inch-dice leftover ham
◦  ½ cup panko (Japanese bread crumbs) or other unseasoned bread crumbs
◦  ½ cup (2 ounces) freshly grated Parmesan cheese, preferably Parmigiano-Reggiano


Recipe

Position a rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Use the 1 tablespoon butter to butter a 9-by-13-inch flameproof baking dish.

In a 4-quart saucepan over medium heat, melt the remaining 5 tablespoons butter. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture is very lightly browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in the milk about 1 cup at a time. Whisk in the salt, mustard, and hot pepper sauce. Bring to a simmer, whisking frequently, and cook, continuing to whisk, until the sauce thickly coats a spoon, about 5 minutes. Add the Cheddar cheese and cook, stirring constantly, until it melts. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Fill a 4-quart or larger pot with water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Add the macaroni and cook, stirring occasionally, until cooked through but still quite chewy, about 6 minutes. (Do not overcook the pasta; it will continue to cook while baking.) Drain in a colander, shaking out as much water as possible.

Mix the macaroni with the ham and spread in the prepared baking dish. Pour the sauce evenly over the top. In a small bowl, stir together the bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the macaroni.

Bake until bubbly and crispy brown at the edges, about 30 minutes. If the crumbs have not browned handsomely, place the casserole under the broiler for a few seconds before serving.


Serves 6 to 8