This gooey treat takes me back to my childhood, but the cheese is better & so is the meat! I used home ground beef, sharp cheddar, red dragon cheese & lots of shallots. Serve this dish with a gigantic leafy salad, this is definitely full fat - and I enjoyed every calorie. Then promptly took a walk!
The red dragon cheese brought the dish full circle. This cheese is a semi-soft cheddar made with mustard seeds. And it's divine. Alone, this cheese is punchy. But melted into a cheese sauce it takes on a new form, and takes this dish over the top. I picked up a wedge at Trader Joes, but I'm sure you can find it at any grocery store with a good cheese section.
Ingredients: - 2 pounds of organic ground beef (home ground is best!) - 1 pound of sharp cheddar, grated - 1/2 pound of red dragon cheese, grated - 4 shallots, diced - 1-2 cups of whole milk - 1/2 cup of flour - 1/2 stick of butter - 1 box of elbow noodles - dried rosemary - salt & pepper to taste - 1/2 cup of panko bread crumbs (optional)
Method: - preheat oven to 425, rack in middle position - get a pot of water boiling for the noodles, and cook according to package instructions. I pull them 1 minute early since they'll be in the oven for a few minutes later. - sauté the ground beef & season with rosemary, salt and pepper - when brown, remove beef to rest, and sauté the shallots in the same pan, add butter or olive oil if needed. Add shallots into reserve bowl with beef and move onto your roux. - in a 4-6 cup sauce pot, melt your butter and add your flour. Mix vigorously for a few minutes and lower your heat, slowly add in the milk and whisk until slightly thickened. - heat off, add your grated cheeses and stir until 99% melted. - in a large oven safe dish, combine the meat, noodles, shallots and cheese sauce. Top with bread crumbs and some crumbled butter. - bake for 15-25 mins until gooey and browned
Seriously, serve this with a large salad. You'll want to eat 3 helpings, but the salad should curb your appetite! Save the leftovers for lunch, or freeze it for a rainy day. This reheats quite nicely in the oven.
What's one of your favorite indulgences? Do you prefer savory over sweet?