The inimitable Lynn Crawford is now executive chef of the New York Four Seasons.
Mimolette is a French cow's milk cheese that tastes much like a mature Edam. It is dark orange. If Mimolette is not available, a good substitute is aged cheddar. We used a white truffle cream (available at upscale grocery stores) instead of the black truffle paste that Crawford calls for and found that 4 tablespoons was enough.
Servings: 6
Ingredients
250 grams (½ pound) dried elbow macaroni or cavatappi
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ cup fresh breadcrumbs
¼ cup finely chopped parsley
2 ounces Parmesan, grated
Salt and freshly ground pepper
3 cups whole milk
¼ cup all-purpose flour
12 ounces sharp white cheddar, grated
6 ounces Gruyère cheese, grated
4 ounces Mimolette cheese, grated
8 tablespoons black truffle paste, or to taste
Method
Butter a 1½-quart casserole dish and set aside.
Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add macaroni and cook for 2 to 6 minutes or until very al dente. Drain and let cool.
Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large sauté pan. Add breadcrumbs and stir to coat. Remove breadcrumbs to a small bowl and toss with parsley and grated Parmesan and season with salt and pepper.
Heat milk in a small saucepot over medium heat until milk is very hot but not scalded.
Melt remaining 3 tablespoons butter over medium heat in another pot. When butter begins to bubble, add flour and stir until cooked, about 1 minute. Slowly pour in hot milk and whisk continuously until all of the milk is incorporated and the sauce begins to thicken.
Remove from heat and add cheddar, Gruyère and Mimolette and mix well until melted. Stir in truffle paste and season with salt and pepper to taste. Add macaroni to cheese sauce and pour into prepared casserole. Sprinkle with Parmesan breadcrumbs and bake for 30 minutes or until top is golden brown.
Lucy Waverman