Sometimes, less is more: Mac and Cheese

My mother-in-law sent my husband and I some pasta shaped like little UNL "N"s.  As a [former] Husker, I was very excited.  So excited that I planned great things for them, and got quite upset with my husband for suggesting that I could just serve them as a side with some other dish I was making.  No, I had big plans-- I was going to make a delicious, amazing, bursting-with-flavor, ultimate-comfort-food macaroni and cheese casserole.  Big Red Mac and Cheese!

I'll be honest up front; the following recipe was not quite as awesome as I had hoped.  I was trying to do too much, I think, and things just got lost in the shuffle.  At the end, I'll discuss a little more what I will do next time to improve.  This is not the ultimate Big Red Mac and Cheese.  But it was an experimental starting point.  And I think, ultimately, I'm better served by learning what I've done wrong.  For those reasons, rather than typing out the recipe in the typical format, I'll go through it in an almost stream-of-conciousness manner.  Hope that works for you.

Big Red Mac and Cheese Trial 1

I began with onions and the most boldly flavored meat I could think of: chorizo (which also happens to be reddish in color; seemed perfect to me).  I sautéed them together in a bit of bacon fat (more flavor!), then pulled out the sausage and set it aside.  I used the now chorizo-flavored bacon fat to make a roux (add flour), then gradually added cream and milk.  Finally, I melted in sharp cheddar, then seasoned with salt, lots of pepper, crushed red pepper flakes, and paprika for color.  I combined the pasta and chorizo in a greased casserole dish.  I topped the casserole with breadcrumbs and more paprika and cheddar, then baked everything until it was warm throughout and crusty on top.

So, on the surface, this seems like a great plan.  As I write it out, I still find myself wondering if it isn't just the greatest idea I've ever had.  Well, here's the rub.  The onion and chorizo thing didn't work quite as well as I'd have thought.  I think the biggest flaw was that I didn't really want the chorizo flavor throughout the dish like that.  It just sort of overwhelmed everything.  I think next time I'll sauté it up separately (I wanted it to have a nice browned surface-- yay Maillard reactions), and omit the onions.  I like onions, but I think my mistake here is that I was trying to pack in too much flavor, which meant that nothing popped out on the tongue.  I also think that a milder cheese, for the same reason, would be a good choice.  I would still top the casserole with sharp cheddar and crumbs, but I'd use more cheese-- a good thick layer of it, rather than a sprinkling-- and possibly a lighter application of seasoned breadcrumbs.  That way, I'd have a mellow, familiar, comforting flavor throughout, topped with gooey sharp cheddar with a nice crust of its own, heightened by crusty breadcrumbs, and flavorful, toasted chorizo every few bites.  I think it would also be nice to use a wider dish, not a casserole, giving me a better pasta-to-crust ratio.  Finally, for the sake of my husband, who is not a fan, I would cut back on the paprika.  (But not totally omit it-- goodness no!)  I'd probably mix it with the breadcrumbs and just leave it at that. 

So, moral of the story: as my husband says, KISS-- Keep It Simple Stupid.  You don't need to go nuts and pack in flavor at every turn to make a tasty dish.