Chef Jeff McInnis | Recipes - Find. Eat. Drink.

Chef Jeff McInnis, Yardbird Southern Table & Kitchen, Miami, FL, Florida, Recipes, Chef's Recipes, Mac n' Cheese, Macaroni and Cheese, torchio pasta, creole mustard, onion, paprika, Grayson cheese, Cheddar

What

Recipe for Macaroni and Cheese from chef Jeff McInnis of Yardbird Southern Table & Bar in Miami Beach, FL.

Chef Jeff McInnis | Recipes

February 8, 2012

Photographs courtesy of Yardbird Southern Table & Bar

What

Recipe for Macaroni and Cheese from chef Jeff McInnis of Yardbird Southern Table & Bar in Miami Beach, FL.

Yardbird Southern Table & Bar Macaroni and Cheese

Recipe courtesy of chef Jeff McInnis

This is one of the most popular side dishes at Yardbird, and it gets its distinctive creamy-salty flavor and satisfying texture from two kinds of cheeses, Creole mustard, and of course, butter. We like to use leftover cornbread crumbs for the breadcrumb topping.

Ingredients

Pasta

- 1 pound torchio pasta

- ¼ pound butter

- ½ cup all-purpose flour

- ½ teaspoon Creole mustard

- 5 cups of milk

- 1 ½ cup yellow onion, finely diced

- 2 bay leaves

- 1 teaspoon paprika

- 12 ounces medium cheddar, shredded

- 8 ounces Grayson cheese (from Meadow Creek Dairy)

- 2 teaspoons kosher salt

- ½ teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground

Topping

- 2 cups leftover bread crumbs (I like to use the left over cornbread)

- 4 ounces soft butter

- Pinch of fine herbs

- Salt & pepper to taste

- 1 large pinch shredded cheddar (reserved to top dish with)

Directions

1) In a large pot of boiling, salted water cook the pasta to al dente (about 8 minutes).

2) Remove and cool pasta immediately in refrigerator on a flat cold sheet pan.

3) In a separate pot, melt the ¼ pound of butter.

4) Whisk in the flour and keep stirring the mixture for about five minutes constantly.

5) Make sure mixture is free of lumps and then stir in the milk, onion, bay leaves, mustard and paprika.

6) Simmer for ten minutes and remove the bay leaves.

7) Stir in the cheese in batches, being careful not to break the sauce.

8) Season with salt and pepper to taste.

9) Fold the macaroni into the hot cheese and pour into a 9 inch cast iron casserole dish.

10) Top with a big pinch of cheese.

Topping

1) Melt the butter in a sauté pan and toss the herbs, salt and pepper, bread crumbs to coat.

2) Place a thin layer of the topping over the cheesey mac in the cast iron dish and place in oven.

Bake & Serve

1) Bake approximately 12 to 15 minutes in a 450 degree F oven, or until lightly brown on top.

2) Remove from oven and serve.

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February 7, 2012

Who

Jeff McInnis is the Executive Chef and partner of Yardbird Southern Table & Kitchen in Miami Beach, Florida.

Why

Chef McInnis describes Yarbird Southern Table & Kitchen as “a house of worship to farm-fresh ingredients, classic Southern cooking, culture and hospitality.”

Yardbird Southern Table & Kitchen - Miami Beach, FL