Once upon a time there was... Mac and Two Cheeses with Caramelized Shallots

Alright Castle Farm Cookbook readers, today you are in for a delicious treat.  This macaroni and cheese recipe is pretty much the best thing ever.  Why top your noodles and cheese with dried out bits of stale bread when you could gloriously coat them with buttery caramelized shallots instead?  That's what we thought.

We were originally introduced to this recipe when a friend brought it to us as part of a potluck.  After stealing all of the leftovers for ourselves, we took her recipe, too.  (She found it at Epicurious.)

ingredients
3 Tbsp butter + some for greasing
6 large shallots, sliced
8 oz macaroni
1 1/4 c half and half
2 1/2 tsp hot sauce
2 generous cups extra sharp cheddar, grated (about 8 oz, or more...)
1 1/2 Tbsp flour
2/3 c crumbled soft goat cheese

instructions


1. Prep.  Preheat the oven to 400.  Butter an 11x7 baking dish. Grate and slice all your stuff.

2. Shallots! Melt 3 Tbsp butter in a skillet on medium-to-high heat.  Add shallots, season with salt and pepper.

Cover and cook 5 minutes, stirring often.

Reduce heat to medium and cook, covered, until shallots are a beautiful rich brown (about 6 more minutes).  Keep stirring!

3.  Macaroni! Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to package directions.

4. Cheese! Combine cheddar and flour in a medium bowl - toss together to coat the cheese.

Bring half and half and hot sauce to a simmer in a saucepan, over medium heat.  Add cheese to the saucepan.  Whisk until sauce is smooth and is just starting to simmer.  Careful not to burn up your cheese!

5. When cheese is ready, add the cooked pasta to the saucepan.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

6. Put pasta in baking dish.

7.  Top with shallots.

8. and goat cheese. Sprinkle with pepper.

9. Bake until heated through, about 15 minutes.

We recommend enjoying this without friends, that way you won't have to share.

pig, out!