Andrew Zimmern's Mac And Cheese Features 4 Types For Ultra-Creamy Results
When it comes to mac and cheese, Andrew Zimmern doesn't mess around. Per his website, the "Bizarre Foods" host, turns to four cheeses to create a sauce that is all the adjectives you want to feel when you eat this comfort food. It is ooey, gooey, and creamy beyond your wildest cheese dreams. To achieve this state of nirvana for the taste buds, Zimmern turns to four cheeses — Parmesan, Pecorino Romano, Taleggio, and Fontina– to create a decadent mac and cheese sauce.
This blend creates layers of flavor that are an absolute homerun. Parmesan is a cheese that is rich, salty, and complex when it hits the tongue. Mix it with Taleggio's creamy and buttery notes, add in Fontina's mild and nutty flavors, and bring it home with the characteristically tangy and sharp Pecorino Romano. Once their tastes meld together, you are left with a velvety smooth cheese sauce that has you lifting your fork from your plate to your mouth on repeat.
However, Zimmern cautions that the cheeses aren't necessarily the ingredients that deserve all the credit for the creaminess of this recipe. Instead, he says it is the technique he uses that produces the results.
A cheesy strategy
Zimmern makes a traditional roux as the base of the cheese sauce using melted butter and flour. He slowly adds the milk to prevent any unwanted lumps or bumps that can destroy the texture you want with your cheese sauce. Also, pro tip make certain you keep your dairy cold before adding it to your hot roux, and continuously whisk as you are dripping the milk into your pot. Add the cheese, a little macaroni water, and some seasonings and you are in business.
When plotting your flavor tapestry, consider what cheeses you like and how they will complement or clash. Cheeses like sharp cheddar, Asiago, and Gouda are going to give you a stronger taste and may take longer to melt, while milder cheeses like brie and Camembert that have a shorter aging period are still going to be flavorful, but less intense. If you want to shoot for something in between mild and sharp, go for a medium cheese such as Carmody or a simple cheddar. They have a little punch and melt well.