XXX Macaroni and Cheese - Adults Only ?

Ok, ok, the title of this post is a bit misleading. But I have to say, after making this dish for Man Mountain, I have never seen him so gustatorily satiated!

And it's a fancy-schmancy recipe - FIVE cheeses. But they had me at the first one alone - a mac-n-cheese recipe with BLEU CHEESE? Yes please!

Now, I have never been one of those truffle-lobster-foie gras-insert-uber-expensive-gourmet-food-product-here macaroni and cheese fans. Growing up, I loved Stouffer's Macaroni and Cheese. Baked in our food-encrusted, fire-hazard of a toaster oven, it took 55 mintues to make, so you got good and hungry waiting for it. Even though we would open the toaster oven constantly while it baked, the cheese still bubbled up over the rim, creating these delicious browned crusty bits that we fought over.

But today, it's all about the microwave. Stouffer's can now be nuked, and there is no bubbling and certainly no brown bits. And then there are the macaroni-and-powdered-cheese-in-a-box fans. My kids are Annie's Macaroni and White Cheddar fans, which I find, um,  horrendous unpalatable. My husband still loves Kraft, even the generic kind.

Therefore, while I make it often for the hungry masses, I don't eat macaroni and cheese. I don't choose it when it is offered on a buffet, or off the menu, or make it for myself (no ancient toaster oven, no Stouffer's).

Until my friends, Mr. and Mrs. St. Louis Connection, had a lovely little dinner party, and changed my thoughts on "macky cheese" (as Little Bitefuls lovingly calls it) forever. It was like my beloved Stouffer's of the 80's, but with a crunchy, buttered breadcrumb topping!!! I begged Mrs. STL Connection for the recipe and she happily obliged.

I call it food porn.

XXX Macaroni and Cheese
(Adapted from Five Cheese Mac and Cheese for Grown-Ups from food.com)

• 16 ounces penne 
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 2 1/2 cups whole milk
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 sprig fresh thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups Fontina cheese, grated
• 1/2 cup bleu cheese, crumbled (I use Italian Gorgonzola Dolce.)
• 3/4 cup gruyere cheese, grated
• 3/4 cup cheddar cheese, grated
• 3/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated (I prefer Grana Padano. It has a slightly nuttier flavor)
• 3 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
• 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1/2 cups crumbled cooked bacon (optional)

Directions:

1. 1Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Butter a 9 x 13 inch glass baking dish.
2. 2Cook pasta according to package directions, less 2-3 minutes cooking time; drain.
3. 3Saute onion in 2 Tbl. butter until it is transluscent. Add the rest of the butter to pot and whisk in the flour, stirring constantly. Next whisk in the mustard. Gradually add the milk and cream, whisking constantly.
4. 4Season with thyme, bay leaf, and salt. Cook over low heat (low simmer) for about 15 minutes, stirring frequently.
5. 5Strain out solids (thyme and bay leaf). Immediately add 1 cup of the Fontina, the bleu cheese, 1/2 cup of the Gruyere, 1/2 cup of the cheddar, 1/2 cup of the Parmesan, the reserved bacon, and parsley. Stir until cheese is melted. Add the drained pasta and stir to coat.
6. 6Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Combine the remaining cheeses with the bread crumbs and parsley and sprinkle over top.
7. 7Bake 15 to 20 minutes until bubbling and lightly browned. Let rest a few moments before serving.