Mushrooms are a perfect food for the Fall and winter. They are packed with flavor and don’t need much assistance. Pick up some fresh mushrooms at Whole Foods or Garden of Eve and use that box of elbow pasta in your pantry for an elegant comfort dinner. All you need is a green salad to make a complete meal.
Ingredients:
Serves 8
1 small shallot, minced
1 clove of garlic, minced
2 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp. flour
8 oz. sharp white cheddar, shredded (we like Aged Cheddar by Grafton Village Cheese from Vermont. This is an award-winning American cheese with a buttery, smooth texture, off-white color and deep, rich flavor.)
1/2 c water
1/2 pd. dry elbow macaroni, cooked and drained
3 1/2 oz Greek yogurt (Fage)
salt and pepper
black truffle oil
1/2 c Panko or breadcrumbs
3 medium chanterelle & 3 shiitake mushrooms, sliced and sauteéd (In a sauté, all the ingredients are heated at once, and cooked quickly with just a bit of oil and salt. Move the ingredients rapidly around in the pan, with a spatula, or by repeatedly jerking the pan itself (sauté literally means “jump”). Cook for 5 to 10 minutes on high heat.
In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add garlic and shallots. Once it stops bubbling, add the flour and whisk it all up. Cook 2-3 minutes ’til it just starts to change color. Add water and yogurt and whisk until smooth. Remove from heat. Add cheese, pinches of salt, pepper; stir until cheese is melted. Fold in cooked macaroni. Put it in a small, buttered baking dish. Sprinkle with Panko evenly and drizzle with the truffle oil. Bake for 20 min. at 350. Place under broiler until top is golden brown. Take it out and place the mushrooms across the top and drizzle with truffle oil.
