Spicy jalapeño peppers, red onion and Mexican spices all merge with the macaroni, plum tomatoes and cheese sauce to and bring you this recipe with a taste that’s South of the Border
Recipe makes 8 servings.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups finely chopped red onion
- 3 large garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons minced pickled jalapeño chilies, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
- 1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 cups milk
- 1 28-ounce can plum tomatoes, drained well with the tomatoes finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon cayenne if desired
- 1 pound elbow macaroni
- 1 ½ cups coarsely grated Monterey Jack (about 6 ounces)
- 1 ½ cups coarsely grated extra-sharp Cheddar (about 6 ounces)
- 1 ½ cups bread crumbs
- 1 1/3 cups freshly grated Parmesan (about ¼ pound)
Directions
- In a large heavy saucepan cook the onion, the garlic, the jalapeños, the coriander, and the cumin in the butter over moderately low heat, stirring, until the onion is softened.
- Stir in the flour, and cook the mixture, stirring, for 3 minutes. Add the milk in a stream, whisking, bring the liquid to a boil, whisking, and whisk in the tomatoes.
- Simmer the mixture for 2 minutes and add the cayenne and salt and pepper to taste.
- In a kettle of boiling salted water cook the macaroni for 6 to 7 minutes, or until it is barely al dente, drain it well, and in a large bowl combine it with the tomato mixture.
- Stir in the Monterey Jack and the Cheddar and transfer the mixture to a buttered 9” by 13” shallow baking dish.
- In a bowl stir together the bread crumbs and the Parmesan cheese.
- Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the macaroni mixture, and bake the macaroni and cheese in the middle of a preheated 375° oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until it is golden and bubbling.