Shells and Cheese

Fresh off its triumph at the family reunion, here is the recipe for shells and cheese that has become a family standard for us over the past half year. All kidding aside, I'm gratified that so many of us -- particularly the younger ones -- enjoyed this dish. It's from Fine Cooking, the cuisine magazine which Dad introduced me to a few years ago (remember his Fine Woodworking magazines? They come from the same publishing house, Taunton Press) and which I've kept up a subscription to. Great recipes, lively writing, good design. And we're all the beneficiaries of recipes like this one.

INGREDIENTS

kosher salt
6 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 medium onion, finely diced
6 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 quart whole milk, heated
1 large sprig fresh thyme, plus 1 tsp. chopped thyme leaves
1 bay leaf
8 oz (2 packed cups) grated extra-sharp white cheddar (such as Cabot’s Seriously Sharp)
4 oz (1 packed cup) grated Monterey Jack
½ tsp. Worcestershire sauce (optional)
½ tsp. Tabasco sauce (optional)
black pepper
1 lb. shell pasta
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil; more for the baking dish
2 cups fresh breadcrumbs
1 ½ oz (1/2 lightly packed cup) freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
2 cups small-diced ham

DIRECTIONS

Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Put on water to boil.

Brown the diced ham in the butter over medium-high heat. After five or ten minutes, drain it on paper towels. (I've taken to putting the ham in the oven to get a touch of a char after taking it from the butter; you can do this while the bread crumbs dry on another rack, and it will free up the saucepan for the rest of your work.)

Reduce the heat to medium, then add the onion and ½ tsp salt. Cook 4-5 minutes. Add the flour and cook, stirring, until slightly darker, 1-2 minutes. Stir in the mustard. Switch to a whisk and gradually add the milk, whisking constantly.

When all the milk has been added, switch back to the spoon and stir in the thyme sprig, bay leaf, and ½ tsp. salt. Let come to a bare simmer, and cook, stirring frequently, for 15 minutes to meld the flavors, reducing the heat to maintain a bare simmer. (In Idaho I had problems with the sauce thickening properly, though this has never been an issue for me at home. Perhaps it's a sea level problem. At any rate, if this happens, you can either make a flour slurry of a quarter cup flour and a quarter cup milk, mixed well, to add to the sauce, which should give it some body. If not, or if you don't want to go to the trouble, don't worry -- it will thicken in the oven.)

Discard the thyme sprig and bay leaf. Add the Cheddar and Jack cheeses, stirring until melted, and then add the Worcestershire and Tabasco. (About half the time I've made this dish, I've added the Tabasco, or some hot sauce such as Cholula or Frank's Red Hot, two local favorites. I think it gives a more complex and balanced flavor, but the children may prefer the dish without. Even with the Tabasco, the final result won't be very hot.) Season to taste with the salt and pepper. Keep warm, stirring occasionally.

Cook the pasta in the boiling water, and drain. Add the pasta to the cheese sauce and diced ham, stirring until well combined. Season. Lightly oil a 9x13 inch baking dish; spread the pasta in the dish.

In a medium bowl, toss the breadcrumbs, Parmigiano, olive oil, chopped thyme, ½ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp pepper. (The best part of the entire dish is the Parmigiano, so make sure you grate fresh from a block; it's something you want in your refrigerator, anyway, and it will last forever, or until you find enough dishes to use it all. You should also take the time to make your own bread crumbs -- grind storebought French bread in a food processor, smooth a layer out on a cookie sheet, and put it in the heating oven for ten minutes or so, just long enough for the crumbs to dry and start to get a little crunchy around the edges.) Scatter the crumbs evenly over the pasta. Bake in the center of the oven until the topping is golden, around 15 minutes. Let rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Macaroni and Cheese
by Jennifer Armentrout
from Fine Cooking v.91, March 2008, p. 48