The Ultimate Mac & Cheese

I love mac & cheese.  Along with many other things, obviously.  Last year, my mom and I were watching Rachel Ray make a pan of it and decided we could do it better.  I never tasted Rachel Ray’s, but in my opinion our recipe kicks her recipe’s butt.  We used dry white wine and some extra old cheddar, and it gives the recipe a zip that contends with the rich cheesiness.

Zippy Mac & Cheese

Ingredients

• 1 medium onion, very finely chopped
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 box of macaroni (I prefer Catelli Smart, adds some fibre without changing the texture)
• 1 tbsp. flour
• 1/2 cup dry white wine (I like sauvignon blanc)
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (I use aged)
• 1/2 a tub of McClaren’s imperial aged cheddar
• 1/4 cup bread crumbs.

Directions

1. In a large pan, saute onions in oil until softened. Start cooking the macaroni in a separate pot.
2. Add flour to the onions and cook a minute to make a roux. Add the wine and cook to a thickened sauce.
3. Add milk and bring sauce to a boil. Melt 1/2 of the shredded cheddar into the sauce as well as the McClaren’s cheese.
4. Once sauce is uniformly thick, strain the cooked macaroni and add to the sauce pan.  Stir the sauce and macaroni well to combine.
5. Pour this mixture into a 9×12 baking dish. Cover the top with the remaining shredded cheddar and sprinkle with bread crumbs.
6. Bake at 375F for 30 minutes, or until cheese on top is bubbly and breadcrumbs are browned.

And then eat your mac & cheese accompanied by the remaining Sauvignon Blanc!!!  I recommend Kim Crawford’s from Marlborough, New Zealand (LCBO VINTAGES #35386, $19.95).