Best Truffled Mac And Cheese Recipes

TRUFFLED MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
• Heat the butter and 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large (12-inch) saute pan, add the mushrooms, and cook over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes, until they are tender. Add the sherry and continue to saute for a few more minutes, until the sherry is absorbed. Set aside.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add a splash of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Add the pasta and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until al dente. Drain well.
• Meanwhile, melt the truffle butter in a large (4-quart) saucepan and whisk in the flour. Cook for 2 minutes over low heat, stirring constantly with a whisk. Slowly whisk in the hot milk and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the white sauce is thickened and creamy. Off the heat, add the Gruyere, Cheddar, 1 1/2 tablespoons salt, the pepper, and nutmeg.
• Combine the pasta, sauce, and mushrooms in a large bowl and pour them into a 10 by 13 by 2-inch baking dish.
• Place the garlic and parsley in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade and pulse until they're minced. Add the bread crumbs and pulse to combine. Sprinkle the crumbs over the pasta and bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until the sauce is bubbly and the crumbs are golden brown. Serve hot.

TRUFFLED LOBSTER MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• For the cavatelli: Mix the flour and 1 teaspoon salt into a mound on a clean working counter or large cutting board. Make a well in the middle. Build the well as high as possible to avoid water running out. Add some of the water to the well and use a dinner fork or your fingers to gently mix the flour into the water without collapsing the walls of the mound. Using your other hand to support the wall of flour helps keep the water from leaking. As you mix, slowly add more water to form a soft and sticky dough. It should not be either too dry or too wet. When you touch it, it should stick to your finger only slightly. Keep in mind that as you knead, the dough gets softer. If the dough is too wet, add a little flour. Knead the dough with a periodic dust of flour for 10 minutes, until smooth and elastic. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let it rest about 1 hour. If you don't have time, 20 minutes would do.
• This is only 1 of many ways to shape the cavatelli: Cut off a small piece of dough and roll it into a long rope about 1 centimeter (.4 inch) in diameter. Cut the dough into 1-centimeter-long (.4-inch-long) pieces. Place a piece in front of you horizontally and rest your index and middle fingers on it. Press the dough as you pull your fingers towards you. As you pull, the dough rolls to form the cavatelli shape. Place the pasta pieces on a lightly-floured baking sheet or plate.
• For the lobster cheese sauce: Heat a stockpot with the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the lobster shell-side down and saute for 6 minutes. Add the onions, carrots, celery, garlic and peppercorns and sweat the vegetables, then add the brandy and cook for about 4 minutes. Remove the lobster and set aside. Add 4 cups water to the pot, bring to a boil and simmer until reduced by at least 25 percent.
• Meanwhile, make the roux. Add the clarified butter to a pan over low heat and gradually whisk in the flour until it gets very thick.
• Strain the stock and place it back in the same pot. Bring to a boil, whisk in the heavy cream and roux and simmer to the desired consistency. Stir in the provolone, asiago, fontina and Parmesan until melted. Stir in the truffle oil.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Bring a pot of water to a boil and salt generously. Cook about 6 ounces of the cavatelli until they float to the top and are al dente, about 4 minutes.
• For the crumb topping: Mix together the breadcrumbs, parsley, butter, truffle oil and a pinch salt and pepper in a small bowl.
• Remove the lobster meat from the shell and cut it into pieces. Fold it into the cheese sauce, then fold in the pasta. Pour the mixture into an oven-safe dish and top with the crumb topping. Bake for about 6 minutes. Enjoy your Truffled Lobster Mac and Cheese!

LUMP CRAB AND CORN TRUFFLED MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Place a small sauce pot on medium heat on top of the stove. Add cream, corn and white onion. In a medium pot, bring 8 cups of water to a boil. Add a generous amount of salt to the boiling water and bring to a boil again. Add cavatelli. When they float to the top, they are done. Strain the pasta and set aside. Salt and pepper scallops and grill to desired temperature. Set scallops aside. When onions are translucent in the cream mixture, place the entire mixture in a blender and puree until smooth. Return the pureed sauce to the pan and place over medium heat. Add the cheese and Alba white truffle butter to the sauce and stir until it melts. Turn off the burner and add the crab and pasta. Add salt and pepper to taste. Put the pasta mixture in a baking dish (or four individual baking dishes) and top with bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese. Place under the broiler until golden brown. Drizzle truffle oil over the bread crumbs. Warm the scallops in the oven and place on top of the pasta. A LITTLE HISTORY