Macaroni and Cheese with Bacon Crumble

Name: Macaroni and Cheese with Bacon Crumble
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 serving(s)
Ingredients: 12 slices bacon, chopped; 2 garlic cloves, chopped; 1 shallot, chopped; 1 cup (50 g) baguette croutons, crushed; ⅓ cup (15 g) flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped; ¾ lb (340 g) elbow macaroni; 1 tbsp corn starch; 2 cans (12 oz/354 ml each) evaporated milk, or 3 cups (750 ml) milk; 1 tsp sweet paprika; 1 tsp mustard powder; ½ tsp garlic powder; 3 tbsp butter; 2 tbsp unbleached all-purpose flour; 1 ½ cups (150 g) strong orange cheddar, grated; ¼ tsp (1 ml) Tabasco-style sauce, or to taste

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Preparation 20 MIN

Cooking 20 MIN
Servings 4

Ingredients
Preparation

Ingredients

Bacon Crumble

12 slices bacon, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 shallot, chopped
1 cup (50 g) baguette croutons, crushed
⅓ cup (15 g) flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

Macaroni and Cheese

¾ lb (340 g) elbow macaroni
1 tbsp corn starch
2 cans (12 oz/354 ml each) evaporated milk, or 3 cups (750 ml) milk
1 tsp sweet paprika
1 tsp mustard powder
½ tsp garlic powder
3 tbsp butter
2 tbsp unbleached all-purpose flour
1 ½ cups (150 g) strong orange cheddar, grated
¼ tsp (1 ml) Tabasco-style sauce, or to taste

Preparation

Bacon Crumble

In a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, brown the bacon. Drain through a sieve into a bowl. Set aside the bacon and bacon fat separately.
In the same skillet, add the garlic, shallot and croutons. Add some of the reserved bacon fat, as needed. Cook for 2 minutes, while stirring, or until the croutons begin to brown. Remove from the heat. Add the reserved bacon and parsley. Mix well and keep warm.

Macaroni and Cheese

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the macaroni until well cooked (see note). Set aside 1 cup (250 ml) of the cooking liquid. Drain the pasta.
Meanwhile, in a bowl, dissolve the corn starch in ¼ cup (60 ml) of the milk. Add the spices. Set aside.
In another pot, melt the butter. Add the flour and cook for 1 minute, while stirring. Whisk in the milk mixture and the milk. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Let simmer for 1 minute. Remove from the heat.
Add the cheese and stir until completely melted. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the Tabasco sauce. Add the warm pasta to the post and stir to coat in the sauce. Reheat over low heat as needed, without boiling the sauce. Add some of the pasta cooking liquid if the sauce is too thick.
Divide the macaroni and cheese among 4 bowls. Top with bacon crumble.

Note

For a silky, sauce-heavy macaroni, the pasta needs to be cooked more than al dente (al dente is the usual suggested cooking time for an Italian pasta recipe.) Otherwise, the pasta will absorb too much of the liquid in the sauce.