The Ultimate Comfort Food

One of the many blogs I like to visit is Picky Palate. Not only does Jenny have lots of great, easy to make recipes, but she often enters cooking and baking competitions as well. When I found out that she was going to be on the Ultimate Recipe Showdown on the Food Network, I made sure to tune in that episode! Jenny's Southwest Chicken Mac and Cheese looks fabulous and is definitely on my list of recipes to try, but one of her competitor's recipes also caught my attention - the French Onion "Soup" Mac and Cheese.


I like Mac and Cheese, but sometimes it's a little too boring for me. I love French Onion Soup. So the idea of combining these two dishes together seemed promising to me. I was intrigued and nervous at the same time as to how this would turn out. Honestly, when I read the recipe, it sounded like it might be good, but like it might also be a bit gross at the same time. I figured that if the judges on the show loved it so much, though, that it was a pretty safe bet.



Wow, was this good! It's not exactly a recipe for those on Weight Watcher's, but if you're looking for something delicious and comforting, you've come to the right place. It's basically a super cheesy pasta dish with a yummy onion flavor to it. The beef stock and thyme are subtle flavors that complement the dish, and the Parmesan bread crumb topping gives each bite a nice crunch. It wasn't a thirty minute meal, but it is definitely something that I will make again.


French Onion "Soup" Mac and Cheese
from Brett Greenberg

Topping:
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan

Bechamel Sauce:
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups whole milk or half-and-half
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 ounces Gruyere, grated
3 ounces mozzarella grated

French Onion "Soup":
2 tablespoons butter, plus 1 tablespoon (or nonstick spray)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
3 large white onions, thinly sliced
6 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
2 tablespoons honey
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup dry sherry
2 cups beef stock
8 sprigs fresh thyme leaves
1 pound pasta, cooked al dente (elbow macaroni, ziti, or fusilli work well)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Topping:
Combine bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese in a small bowl and set aside.

Bechamel Sauce:
Melt 4 tablespoons of the butter over low heat in a medium saucepan. Add the flour and stir to combine. Stir constantly, for about 3 minutes. Increase heat to medium and whisk in the milk or half-and-half, adding a little at a time and cook until thickened, about 4 to 5 minutes. Lower heat, season with the salt and pepper and add Gruyere and mozzarella cheeses. Stir until cheese is melted and sauce is smooth. Set aside.

French Onion "Soup:"
Heat 2 tablespoons of the butter and olive oil over medium-high heat in a large saucepan. Add onions, cover, and cook 10 to 15 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove cover, add garlic and honey, and continue to cook uncovered, stirring frequently, until onions are caramelized, about 10 to 15 minutes. Season with salt and a generous amount of pepper. Remove pot from heat and add sherry. Return to heat and stir to remove browned bits from bottom of pan. Reduce sherry by half, then add stock and thyme and cook until almost all liquid is evaporated. Remove from heat.

Grease a 3-quart baking dish or casserole with the last tablespoon of butter or spray with nonstick cooking spray. Combine cooked pasta with onion "soup" mixture and bechamel sauce, and stir well to combine. Transfer pasta to baking dish and sprinkle with bread crumb/Parmesan topping.

Bake until top is golden brown and cheese is bubbly, about 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool slightly before serving.

Yield: 8 to 10 Servings