Recipe: Mac and Cheese Bombs

Ingredients

1                      Onion piquet / clouté (small onion with a bay leaf tacked on using a clove)

250ml              Milk

20g                  Flour

20ml                Butter

                        Nutmeg

                        Cheddar cheese

1/4 tsp             cayenne pepper

2 cups             All-purpose flour

                 Salt

                  Freshly ground black pepper

2                Large eggs, lightly beaten

       1                tbsp. milk

2 cups        panko bread crumbs

                  Finely chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

                 Vegetable oil, for frying

 

Method:

1. Add the onion piquet to the milk in a heavy saucepan and simmer for 5 minutes.
2. In a separate pot, make a white roux with the flour and butter.
3. Remove the onion piquet from the milk. Gradually add the hot milk to the roux while stirring constantly with a whisk to prevent lumps. Bring to a boil.
4. Reduce the sauce to a simmer, add the seasonings and continue cooking until the starch has cooked out and the sauce reaches the desired consistency.
5. Strain the sauce through a fine cloth/strainer. Melted butter can be carefully ladled over the surface of the sauce to prevent a skin forming.
6. Cook macaroni according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large sauce place your béchamel sauce
7. Drain macaroni; add to cheese sauce and stir to coat.
8.  While the macaroni and cheese is still hot, stir in cheddar, Mozzarella and cayenne until the cheese is completely melted. Transfer mac and cheese to a large bowl, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 3 hours.

9.    Set up a dredging station: In a small shallow bowl, season flour with salt and pepper. In a second shallow bowl, whisk together eggs and milk. Place bread crumbs in a third bowl.

10. Using a small cookie scoop, scoop small balls of mac and cheese. Toss each ball in seasoned flour, dunk in the egg mixture to coat, then dredge in bread crumbs. Refrigerate until ready to fry.

11. In a large heavy pot, heat about 1" vegetable oil over medium heat. Meanwhile, place a wire rack inside of a large baking sheet. When the oil is very hot and shimmering (and about 350°), add four to five mac and cheese balls. Cook until very golden all over, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer the fried bombs to a wire rack and sprinkle them with salt. Repeat with remaining mac and cheese bombs.

12. Transfer bombs to a serving dish and garnish with parsley. Serve warm.

 

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