SWS: Southwestern Macaroni & Cheese
Source of Recipe
"Mother's Best", by Lisa Schroeder and Danielle Centoni.
1 teaspoon kosher salt
plus more -- for salting the
-- pasta water
1 pound fusilli pasta*
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
or
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 medium yellow onion -- finely diced (1 cup)
1 cup red or green bell pepper -- finely diced
1/4 cup fresh jalapeno peppers -- finely chopped
-- stems and seeds removed
2 cups Monterey Jack -- firmly packed
or
2 cups pepper Jack
--(about 1/2 pound)
1 cup cooked chicken -- shredded or diced
1/2 teaspoon black pepper -- freshly ground
1/2 cup sour cream -- for garnish
1/4 teaspoon chipotle chile -- minced (for garnish)
-- (from canned chipotles in adobo)**
1/2 cup scallions -- thinly sliced for
-- garnish
Bring a medium (6- to 8-quart) pot of water to a boil. Salt it generously (it should taste like the sea). Stir in the pasta and cook according to the package directions. Drain (don't rinse, or you'll rinse away starches that will help thicken the sauce) and return to the empty pot.
Meanwhile, place a large (12- to 14-inch) saute pan over medium-high heat for several minutes. When hot, add the butter or oil, onions, bell peppers, and jalapenos and saute until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes.
Add the heavy cream. Bring to a boil, and then lower the heat to medium and simmer until the cream is reduced slightly, about 3 minutes.
Add the cheese and chicken. Stir well and cook over medium-high heat until the cheese has melted and the mixture thickens, about 3 minutes. Season with the salt and pepper.
Stir the sauce into the cooked and drained pasta in the pot. Place over medium heat and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes to thicken and sauce and allow the pasta to absorb the flavors, stirring now and then. If too thick, add a little more cream.
To make the garnish, in a small bowl, mix together the sour cream and minced chipotle. Serve the macaroni and cheese in individual bowls topped with a dollop of the chipotle sour cream and a sprinkle of sliced scallions.
*You can use rotini or other pasta here (the author suggests a good imported brand of pasta).
**You can find cans of chipotles in adobo sauce in the Mexican foods aisle at the grocery store.
You can substitute chipotle chile powder, New Mexico chile powder, or even regular chili powder to taste, but the flavor will not be the same. You can freeze any leftover canned chipotles in ice cube trays. Once frozen, move to a zip-top freezer bag.
Makes 4 to 6 servings
Categories: Pasta, Restaurant
Typed for you by Judi Mae Phelps.
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