Delicatessen's Pastrami Mac & Cheese
Provided by Michael Spector,Owner of Delicatessen
SERVES 8 - 12
This rich version of Mac & cheese stays velvety smooth, thanks to the addition of pasta water which contains starch that was released from the macaroni as it boiled, this helps bind the sauce and makes it velvety smooth. Another key to the creaminess is the American cheese, which contains added emulsifiers; you can substitute a small amount of Velveeta, Cheez Wiz or cream cheese for the same results.
· 1 box elbow macaroni
· 2 cups heavy cream
· 1.5 cup shredded Sharp cheddar
· 1.5 cup shredded Monterey Jack Cheese
· 1 cup Shredded Yellow American Cheese
· 2 tbs Grainy Mustard
· 1 tsp paprika
· Salt & pepper to taste
· 2 cups pastrami chunks (1/2” dice)
· 3 slices well done rye toast
· 2 tbs melted butter
· ½ cup Additional shredded cheddar
· Additional tsb butter or spray oil
Butter Rye Topping (can be done day ahead)
1. Grind rye toast in food processor to medium fine crumb
2. Mix with melted butter, set aside
Macaroni:
1. Boil 2 quarts heavily salted water
2. Add pasta
3. Bring water back up to boil, boil 4 minutes
4. Pasta should be slightly less than al dente…not soft with the tiniest bit of white visible when you bite into it
5. Reserve 1.5 cups pasta water
6. Drain pasta
Cheese Sauce:
1. In same pot add heavy cream, bring to a simmer over a medium flame
2. Let cook a few minutes until reduces slightly, adjust flame to low
3. Whisk in mustard & paprika
4. Add cheese in 3 parts whisking each time to incorporate
5. Sauce should be creamy, if it is too thick add reserved pasta water slowly until velvet-y
6. Gently stir pasta
7. Add more pasta water if needed
8. End result should be a smooth slightly liquid sauce; the pasta will absorb the liquid as it bakes.
To Finish
1. Butter or Spray an ovenproof casserole dish
2. Pour in Pasta/Cheese mixture in to prepared dish
3. Gently stir in pastrami
4. Sprinkle Reserved Cheddar over top
5. Cover with Buttered Rye Crumbs
6. Bake @ 350 till bubbly (@ 20 - 30 minutes)
7. Let rest 5-10 minutes before serving
You can use any variety of cheese, for a Pastrami Rueben Mac & Cheese try it with Monterey Jack & Gruyere, add a layer of sauerkraut on top of the mac & cheese then shredded gruyere & buttered rye crumbs. Serve with Russian dressing on the side.
Vegetarian Variation: Substitute Pastrami Spiced Portobello Mushrooms (recipe below) for the pastrami in this vegetarian version
PASTRAMI SPICED PORTOBELLOS
Pastrami Rub:
· 2 cloves garlic smashed
· 1 tbs Smoked Salt (or regular salt + 1 drop “smoke” flavor)
· 2 Tbs coarse Ground Black Pepper
· 1 Tbs coarse Ground Coriander
· 2 tsp Smoked Paprika
· 1 Tbs vegetable oil
1. Mix together rub ingredients
2. Cover top and bottom of mushroom and marinate for at least an hours or up to 1 day
3. Grill mushrooms or broil 3 minutes on each side until soft & juicy
4. Cube for use in “Pastrami “Mac & Cheese, add mushrooms in where you would add pastrami
