Guinness Mac and Cheese

As a life-long carnivore from an extremely carnivorous culture and family – think My Big Fat Greek Wedding when the aunt says, “You no eat meat…I make you lamb” – one of the biggest culinary challenges is feeding vegetarians dinner. An even bigger challenge can be feeding a crowd with various levels of carnivorous inclinations. SOooooooooooo, I created Guinness macaroni and cheese, a lovely update on the American classic. It’s meatless but hearty enough for even the greatest of meat lovers. Of all the things I make, this is a recipe that people ask for again and again. It is perfect served with roasted grape tomatoes… as well as a side of Italian sausage or chicken. But start things off with a small arugula simple salad.

Guinness Macaroni and Cheese
Serves 8 to 10
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 c Guinness extra stout
1 ½ c whole milk or half-and-half
1 ½ lbs sharp cheddar cheese, cubed, preferably two different kinds
3 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp cayenne pepper
Pinch of nutmeg
½ tsp ground pepper
1 tsp kosher salt
2/3 cup panko (or regular) breadcrumbs
1 pound elbow macaroni
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cook the macaroni according to package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside. In a large saucepan, cook the butter and flour over medium heat until the flour is cooked, about two minutes. Whisk in milk in four additions, then stir in the Guinness. Keep stirring until mixture is thick. Turn the heat down to low, add the cheese in two batches, stirring constantly until the cheese is nearly melted, but a few blocks still remain. Add the mustard, cayenne, pepper, nutmeg, salt, and macaroni, stirring well after each addition. Give it a taste. If it doesn’t sing, add a large pinch of kosher salt.
Pour into a baking dish and spread breadcrumbs over the top.
Bake for 45 minutes.


Roasted Tomatoes
1 lb grape tomatoes (really any small tomato will do)
1 - 2 tbsp olive oil
Kosher salt
Pepper
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with foil – you don’t have to, but it makes life easier. Place tomatoes on the sheet. Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle 2 large pinches each of kosher salt and pepper. Carefully roll the tomatoes around so they are coated with all that olive oil, salt, pepper yumminess. Bake for 15 minutes, or until they begin to pop and start smelling delicious.

For a crowd: You can make the mac and cheese ahead of time but wait to add breadcrumbs and bake until you want to eat it. Loosely cover the mac and cheese with aluminum foil until ready to serve. Either roast the tomatoes in the morning and serve them at room temperature, or pop them in when the mac and cheese is done. They should be ready just in time for dinner.

Brunch and a Baby (Leek and Camembert, and Spinach, Feta and Sun Dried Tomato Quiches)

Few things are better than cuddling with a baby, especially one as cute as nine week old Nico the Nugget. Sadly, I forgot to take a picture of Nugget, but trust me on this one. Anyhoo, some girlfriends and I invited ourselves over for brunch and get our baby fix, oh also to visit with Nugget’s parents. Yeah. But we brought food! My friend Mairead, a very sage mother of two boys, recently said to me that a meal is the best gift to new mothers. So I brought I a hunk o’pork for their dinner (recipe to come – I know, it’s the one you are all waiting for with bated breath) and quiche for us all to share.

Quiche sometimes gets a bad rap – it’s old fashioned, it has cream, you have to make a pie crust. But on the upside, it’s a great way to use little bobs of cheese, veg and leftover breakfast meat. It’s easy enough to make two on the weekend, serve one and eat leftovers for – ta da – lunch during the week. Add a simple salad and you are golden.


So I’ve given the quiche a couple of modern turns. There’s a more traditional version as well as a lighter one that uses up all those egg whites from baking other goodies. The filling options are endless – crab, asparagus and brie, mushroom and sausage, tomato and shallot – but I’ve included a few popular ones. My secret is using store bought pie crust. Specifically, the kind in a red box that comes rolled up. In this case, I recommend using the brand name because the others seem, well, store bought. Of course, homemade crust is the best (smiley face). I also prefer a springform pan because it can accommodate any overflowing filling and makes for prettier slices than a pie plate.


Traditional Quiche
For a 10” tart or a generous 8” tart
5 eggs
2 cups whole milk or fat free half-and-half (substitute cream for ¼ c or more of either if you wish)
1 tbsp butter (don’t ask why, just know Julia Child does this)
Kosher salt
Pepper

Egg White Quiche (aka quiche I actually eat)
For an 8” tart
1 whole egg
4 egg whites (more or less)
1 2/3 cups 2% milk or fat free half-and-half
1 tsp butter
Kosher salt
Pepper
Beat the eggs well. Beat in the milk or half-and- half. Season with a pinch each of kosher salt and pepper.


Leek and Camembert (or goat cheese) Filling
2 leeks
2 tbsp unsalted butter
4 oz Camembert or goat cheese
Wash leeks by trimming the root end and slicing the body in half, going from the white part to the green part. Set on a colander and rinse each half well, making sure that there is no sand hiding between the layers. Slice the white and light green parts into ¼” half moons; store the green parts for stock.
Melt the butter on low heat. Sautee the leeks until wilted and sweet, almost translucent. Set aside



Spinach, Feta and Sun Dried Tomato Filling
1 cup spinach, wilted
1/8 cup sun dried tomatoes, rehydrated and sliced
4 oz feta


Ham, Cheddar and Pepper Filling
4 oz sharp cheddar cheese, grated
½ cup ham
1 serrano pepper or 1/3 cup chopped green bell pepper, sauteed

Assemble
1 Pie crust
Filling
Quiche base
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Unfurl pie crust. With a rolling pin (or wine bottle), roll the crust out a little more until it’s about an inch wider around. Place in the springform pan. Pierce all over with a fork. This improves your chances of getting a nice, flaky crust. Put the whole thing in the freezer.

Make your quiche base, fillings and mix them together. Take your frozen pie crust, weigh it down, and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the over, pour the mixed filling and base. Bake 40 minutes to an hour, until the center is puffed up and not jiggly.
For a crowd: Transport the quiche in the springform pan. Place in 275 degree oven to heat. Delicious with simple salad… or sticky buns!