BACON AND PEA MAC 'N' CHEESE

Bacon and Pea Mac 'n' Cheese image

This is a very simple way to liven up mac 'n' cheese. Throw in some bacon and frozen peas, and boom: instant elevation. The bacon and peas have that lovely salty-sweet combination, with peas bringing a little bit of freshness to this decadent dish.

Provided by Claire Thomas : Food Network

Time 1h

Yield 8 to 10 servings

Number Of Ingredients 18

Ingredients

Butter, for greasing
8 slices bacon, finely chopped
3 1/2 cups milk, plus more if needed
Several sprigs parsley
10 black peppercorns
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Up to 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
8 ounces yellow Cheddar, freshly shredded
4 ounces Gruyere, freshly grated
4 ounces Parmesan, freshly grated
8 ounces macaroni, cooked until very al dente
1 1/2 cups frozen peas
1 cup fresh breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Steps:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Butter a 2-quart baking dish or eight 12-ounce ramekins.
For the bechamel: Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook, stirring often, until just crisp, about 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine the 3 1/2 cups milk, the parsley, peppercorns, crushed red pepper, bay leaf and nutmeg in another medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then remove from the heat and keep warm.
When the bacon is crisp, remove it with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel-lined plate, leaving 6 tablespoons of the bacon fat in the saucepan. If you have less than 6 tablespoons, make up the difference with the butter and heat over medium heat until melted. Add the flour and cook, stirring, until the mixture is doughy and smells a bit nutty, about 1 minute.
Strain in the warm milk about a half cup at a time into the flour mixture and cook, whisking to incorporate after each addition. The bechamel should be smooth and velvety. If it's chunky or too thick, whisk in some more milk.
For the mac 'n' cheese: Remove the bechamel from the heat and add all of the cheeses; whisk to combine. Fold in half of the bacon. Next, fold in the macaroni, then the peas. Transfer to the prepared baking dish or ramekins. If using ramekins, place them on a rimmed baking sheet.
Combine the breadcrumbs with the remaining bacon pieces, the melted butter and a pinch each of salt and black pepper in a small bowl. Sprinkle over the mac 'n' cheese and bake until the sauce is bubbly and the crust is browned on top, 30 to 45 minutes (depending on the baking vessel).
Let rest for 10 minutes then serve.