Jalapeno Bacon Macaroni And Cheese

Cheesy, spicy, salty. My idea of the perfect comfort, rib sticking meal. This goes great with chicken, meatloaf, pulled pork and grilled tri tip.

Ingredients:

2 slices bacon

2 jalapenos

1 c heavy cream

1 tsp white distilled vinegar

1 oz medium cheddar

1 oz white cheddar

4 oz dried macaroni

1 shallot

3 cloves garlic

Salt

Pepper

Tools needed:

Cheese grater

Sharp knife

Cutting board

Saute pan

Stock pot

Wooden spoon

Measuring cup

Perforated spoon

How to make it:

Get enough water on boil for the macaroni noodles. Salt the water when the water comes to a boil and add the macaroni. Cook according to package directions for al dente, usually around 8-10 minutes. While the noodles cook, make the sauce.

This sauce is great because it cooks quicker than it does to for the macaroni to be fully cooked. First, mince the garlic and shallot. Grate the cheeses and set aside on a plate. Small dice the jalapeño, seeds removed. Cut the bacon into small pieces.

Now, render the bacon pieces. Heat the saute pan over medium high heat and warm up for 1 minute. Then, add the bacon in and season with pepper. Cook until the fat is rendered and the bacon gets crispy, stirring occasionally. Remove the bacon with your perforated spoon and drain off all but 1 tbsp fat.

Add the garlic and shallot to the pan and reduce heat to medium low. Give the garlic and shallot a pinch of salt, this will help pull out their flavor. Sweat until the shallot turn translucent, stirring occasionally. This may take up to 2-3 minutes.

Add the diced jalapeños and cook for an additional 30 seconds. Deglaze the pan with the vinegar scraping the good browned bits from the bottom of the pan.

Add the cream and turn up the heat back to medium. Bring the cream to a rapid simmer and reduce by half. Keep an eye on the cream as it tends to boil over the pan quickly and easily. If needed, reduce the heat slightly. Once the cream has reduced fully, it will be thick and bubbly. If you scrape the bottom of the pan with your wooden spoon, it will leave a streak holding its shape for about 1 second. Turn the heat off and taste to see if it needs more salt. Keep in mind that adding the bacon back in and the cheese, it will become more salty also.

Add the bacon back in and the cheeses. Stir in the cheeses to fully melt in. By this time, the noodles should be fully cooked. Reserve 1/4-1/2 c pasta water for thinning the sauce if needed. Strain the noodles and add to the pan with the cheese sauce. Toss to coat the noodles with the sauce and serve immediately. This will thicken slightly as it sits.

Enjoy!

Logan