Roasted Brussel Sprouts, Bacon & Dates with Bubbly Cheesy Pasta
Macaroni and cheese, especially made from scratch from a classic béchamel, is the ultimate comfort food. Here it is paired with another comfort food, roasted Brussel sprouts with bacon and diced dates. Use a combination of cheeses for the Cheesy Pasta, including a cheddar/gruyere mix, a soft earthy French cheese such as Brie or Camembert, and a mix of hard Italian cheeses including Parmesan. Salt after the cheese has been added to the béchamel as cheese is inherently salty.
Tweaked only slightly from Eduardo Jordans Best-Ever Macaroni and Cheese
Brussel Sprouts with Bacon and Diced Dates
1 pound Brussel sprouts, stems trimmed, cut vertically through stems, tearing off outer leaves
6 slices of thick-cut bacon, preferably center cut (less fatty), cut into 1/2 inch lardons
1/4 cup chopped Medjool dates (Trader Joes)
EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
BACON AND DATES: Heat 10 1/2-12 inch cast iron pan until hot. Add the bacon, cooking until crisp, rendering the bacon fat. Remove the bacon to a separate bowl. Add the chopped dates and cook until crisp. Add the dates to the bacon. Leave the remaining bacon fat.
BRUSSEL SPROUTS: Add additional EVOO as needed. Add the Brussel sprouts, adding salt generously along with pepper, coating the sprouts well with the oil. Place Brussels inside side down in single layer in pan. Roast in oven for 20 minutes or until browned to your liking.
Add the bacon and dates back into the pan, mix well and serve.
Cheesy Pasta
4 Tbsp unsalted butter
4 Tbsp (1/4 cup) flour, sifted
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
1 tsp smoky paprika
2 cups aged cheddar/Gruyere, shredded (recommend Trader Joe’s)
3/4-1 cup soft French cheese, Brie or Camembert, rind removed
1/2 cup Italian cheese mix (recommend Trader Joe’s Quattro-Fromaggi)
Salt and white pepper to taste
4 cups of pasta, Italian-made, textured preferred (recommend Trader Joe’s Gigli)
Topping: 1 cup of cheddar/Gruyere mix and 1/4 cup Italian cheese mix
Bring a pot of salty water to boil in preparation to cook pasta. Heat oven to broil.
When your pasta water has come to boil, cook the pasta according to the package instructions, preferably al dente. Drain, letting cool slightly.
BECHAMEL SAUCE: Heat a 10 1/2-12 inch cast iron pan over medium heat. Melt butter and gradually add sifted flour to the butter, mixing well to create a roux. Stop cooking the roux when it is light brown. Let cool slightly. Mix the milk and cream and microwave for 15-20 seconds to bring to room temperature. Gradually whisk the cream/milk into the roux over low to medium heat. Continue to whisk until thickened and the sauce coats the back of a spoon. Add salt and white pepper to taste.
CHEESY SAUCE: To your bechamel, add your shredded cheeses and incorporated well. Let cool slightly. Add the pasta to the bechamel sauce in the cast iron pan and mix well. Top with additional cheddar/Gruyere and Italian cheese mix and place under broiler until browned and bubbly. Serve straight from the cast iron pan.
Roux: a mixture of fat (usually butter) and flour used in making sauces, in this case a bechamel. Click on the link to watch a very helpful video.
Al dente: cooked as to be still firm when bitten
