Bistro Mac & Cheese

Colette's sophomore art show at BR Magnet, smoked chicken. The summer heat is building the way a roux builds: slowly at first, then all at once, and when it hits, the only response is to keep stirring. Stirring the roux. Stirring the life. Stirring the pot of a family that is four at the table now (sometimes five when Luc comes home, sometimes three when Colette is at a friend\'s), and the stirring adjusts, and the adjustment is the skill, and the skill is: show up with the spoon regardless of how many bowls need filling.

The food this week was good. The company was better. The week was a week — not a milestone, not a crisis, just seven days of waking up and cooking and working and sleeping (six hours most nights now, bless Dr. Tran and the therapy that turned the water off) and being alive in Louisiana in the part of the year where the mosquitoes are back and the AC is straining and the only thing keeping the heat at bay is the cold beer and the knowledge that crawfish season is winding down and deer season is five months away and the calendar is a circle and the circle is the roux and the roux is everything.

The week ended the way it started — with the roux in mind. Not every meal needs a reason bigger than “it’s hot, the AC is working overtime, and there are four bowls on the counter waiting to be filled.” Bistro Mac & Cheese was that meal this week: the kind of thing that starts with a simple roux, builds into something richer than you expected, and sits comfortably on a table whether it’s feeding two or five, depending on who walks through the door. Colette’s art show week deserved something that felt like a hug without making a fuss about it — and this was exactly that.

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 25 minutes | Total Time: 35 minutes | Servings: 6

Ingredients

1 lb elbow macaroni or cavatappi pasta
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups whole milk, warmed
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
Salt and black pepper to taste
1 1/2 cups sharp white cheddar, freshly shredded
3/4 cup Gruyère cheese, freshly shredded
1/2 cup fontina or Havarti cheese, freshly shredded
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan
2 tablespoons fresh chives or flat-leaf parsley, chopped (for garnish)

Instructions

Cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions until just al dente — about 1 minute less than the package says. Drain and set aside, tossing with a small drizzle of olive oil to prevent sticking.
Build the roux. In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat. Once foaming subsides, whisk in flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes until the roux smells faintly nutty and turns pale gold.
Make the béchamel. Slowly pour in the warmed milk, whisking continuously to prevent lumps. Add the heavy cream. Continue whisking over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Season the sauce. Stir in the Dijon mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, and smoked paprika. Season generously with salt and black pepper. Reduce heat to low.
Melt in the cheeses. Add the cheddar, Gruyère, and fontina a handful at a time, stirring after each addition until fully melted and smooth before adding the next. Finish with the Parmesan. Do not let the sauce boil once the cheese is added.
Combine. Add the drained pasta to the cheese sauce and fold together until every piece is well coated. If the sauce feels too thick, add a splash of warm milk and stir to loosen.
Serve. Portion into bowls — however many the night calls for — and top with fresh chives or parsley. Serve immediately.

Nutrition (per serving)

Bistro Mac & Cheese — When the Week Was Just a Week, and That Was Enough