Mac and Cheese

preparation

Method

Cook the macaroni pasta according to the packet instructions in a large pan of boiling salted water until al dente. In a saucepan add milk and cream and bring to a boil. Season with whole grain mustard, freshly ground pepper and salt. Grate Castello® Mature Cheddar and mix with corn starch. Turn the hob down to a medium heat and stir in grated mature cheddar with the corn starch, ensuring that you’re continually stirring the mixture until the cheese has melted and the sauce is smooth. Drain the macaroni and add to the cheese sauce. Carefully stir for 3-4 minutes until the macaroni is covered with sauce. Season with nutmeg and serve straight away.

The right combination

Concentrated aromas of lemon and butter from the cheese, combined with the rich cream and milk, provide incredible depth of flavour to the sauce and offers a silky-smooth finish. Using our recipe, getting the sauce perfectly creamy requires almost no effort and is sure to impress family and friends alike. Staying away from the frozen section has never been easier with this incredible Mac and Cheese recipe.

Picking the right cheese

With the cheese having such an important role, picking the wrong kind runs the risk of you ending up with a plain and unappealing result. Finding a cheese with distinct bite is key to achieving the iconic macaroni and cheese taste. For perfectly balanced texture and taste, we chose our Castello® Mature Cheddar for our recipe. This aged cheese stands in perfect contrast to the cream and milk and provides a zesty kick, while most other cheeses would risk being drowned out. The crumbly consistency caused by naturally formed salt crystals, means that it melts evenly and easily. To finish, the wholegrain mustard helps bind it all together, and delivers an added bite of heat and piquancy.

The perfect pairing

Just as pairing ingredients that taste great together when cooking, the same thinking can be applied when choosing what you want to drink. Being fussy, when deciding what you want to couple your food with, might seem dramatic, but it really does make a big difference in how you perceive the flavours. In the case of both wine and beer, the dominant flavour of the dish should always be catered to. Personal preference ultimately decides which wine you should pick, but going for one that compliments the cheese, brings the entire experience to a new level. A Cabernet Sauvignon delivers full bodied and strong aromas, while a Pinot Noir makes for a more delicate experience. Both are great with our Mac and Cheese, and sit well with the sharp finish of our Castello® Mature Cheddar. Opting for beer, means that you should be looking for ones with fruitfulness, acidity and mild bitterness, i.e. Pale Ales, Nut Browns, etc. Few recipes require the same low effort in the kitchen and deliver such depth of flavour in return. Both reasons have made macaroni and cheese a favourite among parents and children for centuries and it can be enjoyed as is or with a twist. Straightforward in preparation, it can be laid-back or sophisticated. No matter the iteration, homemade macaroni and cheese is bona fide comfort food.