rainy day cheese

This is the first post. I should explain that yes, I am a law student, and yes, I like cooking. So why not a blog about food with some legal perspective thrown in? I don’t see why not.

I figure on posting tidbits about lots of things - I have a fondness for dabbling in lots of random topics, but one thing has really stuck over the years, which is cooking. Probably nothing really comforts me as much as cooking does.

So, it’s cold and rainy in Los Angeles today, and with the weather in mind, I'm always partial to something hot, warm and soothing. I gave up meat for Lent - despite my not being a particularly good Catholic - and therefore can't have my favorite cold-weather meal, which is a hot bowl of pho. The next best thing? Definitely some home-made macaroni and cheese, the super evil bad-for-you kind. NOT the in-the-blue-box kind (although that certainly has its place on occasion.) Here's the recipe, which is a combination of a few cookbooks, cooking shows and my own tinkering, and which I recently emailed to a friend.

Homemade Macaroni and Cheese
- 2-3 tbs. butter, divided
- 2 tbs. flour
- 1 package macaroni (I think, standard is 16 oz/1 lb)
- 2 cups milk
- 1 cup grated cheddar
- 1 cup grated gruyere, divided
- 1/2 cup cubed fontina
- paprika, salt, pepper, tabasco sauce (optional)
- 1 cup bread crumbs
- 2 tbs. chopped parsley
- dash of dried thyme (optional)

(Preheat oven to 350 degrees.)

1. Cook the macaroni until al dente. Drain and set aside.

2. Meanwhile...heat the milk until hot, but not boiled.

3. Melt half the butter on medium heat, and add the flour and stir until light golden, but not browned. Stir in the milk slowly and whisk until totally incorporated, and lower heat down until the mixture has thickened and is thick and creamy. Stir in cheddar and half of the gruyere cheese, as well as some pepper, salt (if needed), paprika and hot sauce to taste, until well mixed (but don't over mix, as it will get rubbery).

4. Mix the cheese mixture and the pasta together, and then stir in the cubed fontina cheese. Pour into a well-buttered casserole dish, and put in the oven.

5. Melt the remaining butter in saute pan, and add the parsley, thyme (if using) and breadcrumbs until they're golden. After the mac and cheese has been in the oven for 15-20 minutes, take out and sprinkle the rest of the gruyere on top, and then the breadcrumb mixture. Finish baking for another 10-15 minutes until the top is browned and crispy and super tasty. Serve with a salad to round it off or get a fork and just dig in.