S'MAC Masala Mac
Sarita's Macaroni & Cheese (S'MAC)
A menu of Macaroni and Cheese, nothing else.
345 E. 12th St., New York
212-358-7912
www.smacnyc.com
Menu Description:
North American comfort food blended with Indian spices - exotic? mysterious? avant-garde? - you be the judge. This one is certainly not for the faint of heart!
Yield: 3 servings
2 1/2 Tablespoons (plus more as needed) Olive oil
2 Small onions, diced
6 Plum tomatoes, diced
1 Tablespoon Ginger paste
3 teaspoons Ground coriander
1 teaspoon Cumin seeds
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon Ground red chiles
1/4 teaspoon Turmeric
1 1/4 cup Whole milk
4 teaspoons Unsalted butter
4 teaspoons All-purpose flour
1 cup American cheese, shredded
1 3/4 cup Sharp Cheddar, shredded, divided
Black pepper, freshly ground to taste
1/2 cup Cilantro, chopped
4 cups Elbow macaroni, cooked
1/4 cup Breadcrumbs
Heat olive oil in sauté pan over medium heat. Sauté onions until almost browned. Add tomatoes, ginger paste, coriander, cumin seeds, salt, ground chiles and turmeric. Reduce heat to medium-low; sauté 10 minutes. Remove from heat; reserve.
In saucepan over medium heat, heat milk to boil; remove from heat.
In another heavy-bottomed saucepan, melt butter over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low; whisk in flour and cook 3 to 4 minutes (be careful not to brown mixture). Slowly add hot milk, whisking constantly to ensure there are no lumps.
Add 1 cup each Cheddar and American cheeses; stir frequently until cheese is melted and sauce slightly thickened. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Remove sauce from heat; stir in sautéed onion-and-tomato mixture and cilantro. Place pasta in large mixing bowl; toss lightly with a touch of olive oil. Pour cheese sauce over pasta; mix thoroughly. Transfer to baking dish.
Combine remaining Cheddar cheese with
breadcrumbs; sprinkle atop macaroni.
Bake macaroni and cheese at 400F until golden and bubbly, 10 to 15 minutes.
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