Tonight we're serving roasted chicken, macaroni & cheese and fresh cranberry relish. In our house it's the ultimate comfort food. Add a baguette and you've darn near died and gone to heaven. You can find these fine dishes served at the Lear household every few weeks – sometimes more often.
I know you're hungry, so without further ado, here's my favorite mac & cheese recipe courtesy of Alton Brown. Use whatever cheese you like best. I found that smoked paprika gives it a little zip and the aroma is just fabulous.
Macaroni & Cheese
1/2 pound elbow macaroni
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon powdered mustard
3 cups milk
1/2 cup yellow onion, finely diced
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon paprika (smoked preferred)
1 large egg
12 ounces sharp cheddar, shredded
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Fresh black pepper
Topping:
3 tablespoons butter
1 cup panko bread crumbs
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a large pot of boiling, salted water cook the pasta to al dente.
While the pasta is cooking, in a separate pot, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour and mustard and keep it moving for about five minutes. Make sure it's free of lumps. Stir in the milk, onion, bay leaf, and paprika. Simmer for ten minutes and remove the bay leaf.
Temper in the egg. Stir in 3/4 of the cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Fold the macaroni into the mix and pour into a 2-quart casserole dish. Top with remaining cheese.
Melt the butter in a saute pan and toss the bread crumbs to coat. Top the macaroni with the bread crumbs. Bake for 40 minutes. Remove from oven and rest for five minutes before serving.
Serves 4-6.
We're not fans of canned relish (or processed anything for that matter). When I was a kid my mom made a cranberry relish where we ground the cranberries and oranges in an old-fashioned grinder and then added lots of sugar. I can't remember the exact recipe any more, but it'd be too sweet for us these days. Over the years I've developed this recipe.
Cranberry Relish
1 bag fresh cranberries (12 oz.)
1/2 c. water
1/4 to 1/3 c. sugar
splash of orange juice
Add ingredients to sauce pot and gently simmer over low heat until cranberries pop. Let sit a few minutes before serving so it can set up a bit. Can be made the day before if you want.
Serves 4.
As for the chicken… as far as the Lear household is concerned, chicken is great on any occasion. We often roast it.
Roasted Lemon Chicken
1 3 to 3 1/2 lb. whole chicken (Amish/free range if possible)
2 small lemons, quartered
3 clove of garlic
salt, pepper, garlic powder
Preheat the oven to 350.
Remove the giblets from the cavity. Rinse the chicken and pat dry with paper towels. Sprinkle liberally with salt, pepper and garlic powder – both inside and out.
Smash the garlic cloves with the side of your knife and place them along with the lemon wedges into the cavity and close it with toothpicks.
Tuck the chicken wing tips under the second wing joint. Truss (a fancy word for tie up with string so the legs and wings stay close to the body of the bird while roasting).
Roast 45 minutes breast side down. Remove from oven and turn so breast side is up. Continue baking until juices run clear – about 45 additional minutes for a 3½ pound bird. Let is rest for five minutes before carving.
Serves 4.
You'll find that the lemon juice seeps into the breast and keeps it juicy.
Although we're making mac & cheese tonight, we often make what we affectionately call "café potatoes," which are a kicked up version of traditional mashed potatoes. The Yukon Gold variety of potatoes are creamy and buttery and the best choice for wonderful mashed potatoes. But, russets, or baking potatoes, do just fine if that's what's in your pantry.
Cordelia's Café Potatoes
1 ½ lbs. potatoes
4 cloves garlic, sliced
1 large onion, sliced thinly
3 tbsp. butter
1-2 tbsp. milk, or half and half
salt and pepper
Peel the potatoes and cut them into like sized pieces (about 1" cubes is great). Place in a large saucepan and cover with cold water and add a large pinch of salt and the garlic slices. Place over a medium-high heat until they come to a boil. Reduce the heat and cook at a simmer until they fall apart – about 20 minutes.
While the potatoes are cooking, sauté the onions with the butter in a fry pan until they start to caramelize.
When the potatoes are "fork tender" (a fancy word for falling apart – literally they fall off your fork when you try to pick one up) drain them well. Let the potatoes sit for a minute in the hot saucepan to let any remaining liquid evaporate.
Now it's time to mash/smash/crush/whip the cooked potatoes. How you do it depends on the type of texture you prefer. You could use a ricer, a potato masher, or the side of your spoon. Some folks even take out their electric mixer – something I think is over kill. The Lear household prefers a more rustic texture, so I use the side of a large spoon.
After you've "mashed" the potatoes, add the warm sautéed onions and mix them in. Add a splash of milk, or half and half, and stir lightly. Salt and pepper to taste.
Vary the recipe a little each time you make it. Leave out the onions add some chopped chives, or your favorite fresh herb. Or, shred some of your favorite cheese and gently stir it in. Use buttermilk or sour cream instead of milk.
Serves 4.
Toss your favorite green salad, cut up a baguette and serve. A bottle of chilled rose is the perfect pairing for chicken IMHO. Bon appétit!
Thanks for stopping by What's for Dinner? this evening. Please hang around for some great conversation and tell us about YOUR favorite comfort food.