Mac & Cheese: Eggs!?

[shel]

Lately I've seen a lot of recipes for Mac and Cheese that call for eggs. I don't get it. Mac and Cheese is caloric enough, and has always been a go to staple for simple, filling, and inexpensive meals. What do aggs add? Flavor? Substance? Help me out - I just don't get it.

Shel

[Suzanne]

Friends of mine on Mouthfuls agree that this version made with eggs is the nec plus ultra -- rich, creamy, and totally addictive (as if M&C could be any more so ). Think "savory, cheesy custard sauce" and you get the idea. Note, though, that you do not necessarily cook the eggs, so be forewarned.

[Ninja_59]

Sure, I was amazed myself

This is the best one I ever ate, creamy, humm



Stove Top Macaroni and Cheese by Alton Brown

This is the best macaroni & cheese I ever tried yet




Stove Top Mac-n-Cheese

Recipe courtesy Alton Brown
Show: Good Eats
Episode: For Whom the Cheese Melts 2


1/2 pound elbow macaroni
4 tablespoons butter
2 eggs
6 ounces evaporated milk ( DONT buy condensed milk )
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce( I omitted this )
1 teaspoon kosher salt( I omitted also )
Fresh black pepper
3/4 teaspoon dry mustard ( only 1/2 teaspon for me )
10 ounces sharp cheddar, shredded ( I used kraft cracker barrel medium cheddar ).



In a large pot of boiling, salted water cook the pasta to al dente and drain. Return to the pot and melt in the butter. Toss to coat.



Whisk together the eggs, milk, hot sauce, salt, pepper, and mustard. Stir into the pasta and add the cheese. Over low heat continue to stir for 3 minutes or until creamy.


PS Just read the comments, you will understand why



http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/reci..._18423,00.html

[phatch]

I've made it with eggs before too. The eggs can accept more cheese without breaking making for a stronger cheese flavor. Most of the egg recipes I've seen call for 12 oz of cheese. The bechamel versions usually about 6-8 oz cheese.

Phil

[shroomgirl]

It's a Southern thing, usually African-American to add eggs to condensed milk. A friend of my is writing and academic historical book on mac and cheese.

[Suzanne]

Shroom -- you do mean evaporated not condensed, right?

[shel]

Originally Posted by phatch

I've made it with eggs before too. The eggs can accept more cheese without breaking making for a stronger cheese flavor. Most of the egg recipes I've seen call for 12 oz of cheese. The bechamel versions usually about 6-8 oz cheese.

Cheese flavor? What about using a more flavorful cheese? Personally, I'm looking to use less cheese than some recipes call for, and finding cheeses that give a nice flavor and texture.

Shel

[phatch]

That's an approach.

Joy of Cooking has(had depending on edition) an egg based mac & cheese. Cook's Illustrated found the same recipe in an older source and latched on to it as the best mac & cheese. CI's discussion of what they tried to get to the best mac & cheese included using less of stronger cheese. It wasn't well received. I haven't pursued it beyond that point myself. It might be just up your alley.

But, for the mac & cheese I usually make at home, it's bechamel based. I take some cues from a Nacho Cheese Doritos ingredients list and include some parm and a touch of blue cheese to punch up the flavor of the cheddar. I like that blend of cheeses. Done right, you don't taste the parm or blue directly, but their impact pumps up the "cheesieness" without adding more cheese. And the bechamel doesn't break from too much cheese.

[shel]

Originally Posted by phatch

That's an approach [...]
But, for the mac & cheese I usually make at home, it's bechamel based. I take some cues from a Nacho Cheese Doritos ingredients list and include some parm and a touch of blue cheese to punch up the flavor of the cheddar. I like that blend of cheeses. Done right, you don't taste the parm or blue directly, but their impact pumps up the "cheesieness" without adding more cheese. And the bechamel doesn't break from too much cheese.

I seem to recall a recipe from CI that included, or at least mentioned, using blue cheese. Maybe I read it elsewhere. IAC, I've some blue here and was thinking of using it, along with a nice sharp cheddar and a couple of other cheeses, in the next batch I prepare.

Of course, it seems that there's another possibility, and that's to use less macaroni. A lot of recipes call for a pound of mac, but it would seem that dropping it to about 12-oz and using 8-oz of cheese would result in stronger cheese flavor. Speaking only for myself, as I don't have a family to feed, less mac with 8-oz of cheese may be a fine way to go. What say the mac and cheese gurus?

Shel

[shel]

Originally Posted by phatch

But, for the mac & cheese I usually make at home, it's bechamel based. I take some cues from a Nacho Cheese Doritos ingredients list and include some parm and a touch of blue cheese to punch up the flavor of the cheddar. I like that blend of cheeses. Done right, you don't taste the parm or blue directly, but their impact pumps up the "cheesieness" without adding more cheese. And the bechamel doesn't break from too much cheese.

A friend and I were were talking about this subject yesterday, and here's what she siad:

Michael essentially cleans out our cheese drawer, and I insist on some velveeta for the smooth creaminess, and neither one of us wants the trouble of making a sauce or any of that unnecessary nonsense. Skim and 1% is what we usually have in the 'fridge. We cook elbow mac, and layer it in a big casserole dish with whatever cheese we have plus some velveeta, then pour some milk over the whole thing and bake it. That's all.

We've served this alongside a beef roast to foodies and gotten rave reviews. Sometimes we have interesting cheeses: usually a Swiss/Parano/Jarlsberg type, always some sharp cheddar, usually parmesan or reggiano or both, occasionally provolone. We've tried mozarella, and don't like it. One of the more interesting is garlic or pepper jack- just a bit. Can't get it out here, though. From time to time he's put in a blue, usually stilton or gorgonzola, and a little bit is interesting, but it definitely takes it in a different direction.

Personally, I like the idea of getting into more interesting cheese for flavor and texture. I've had my friend's m&c several times when she lived here, and it was always very good.

Shel

[shroomgirl]

evaporated not sweetened condensed......and it's very very southern to use canned milk and eggs.....a cafeteria staple. One of my fav food groups.

[Ninja_59]

All I can say, the macaroni I had made with eggs is pure delight, reminded me of the good old days in Vermont

[phatch]

Originally Posted by shroomgirl

evaporated not sweetened condensed......and it's very very southern to use canned milk and eggs.....a cafeteria staple. One of my fav food groups.

Have you ever made "boiled dressing"? Great stuff and often made with evaporated milk but also you'll see cream and milk used. I like it best with cream

[shroomgirl]

yep. Gotta love older Joy of Cookin'

[tralfaz]

I like souffled mac and cheese. Very good. Add the yolks to the bechamel, mix in the macaroni, fold in the whipped whites. Bake for 15 minutes so that it's still soft inside. I like a mix of cheeses too. Cheddar, Gruyere or some swiss, Parmigiano, cream cheese etc. Hmmm.... Although plain Jarlsberg sounds good, with some asparagus on the side. I think it's suppertime now.