Main Dish
Wild Mushroom Mac and Cheese
Mazzocco Sonoma Winery
1400 Lytton Springs Road
Healdsburg, CA 95448
mazzocco.com
- RECIPE YEAR: 2017
- RECIPE BY: Chef Bruce Riezenman, Park Avenue Catering
- YIELD: Serves 6
- PAIRS WELL WITH: Mazzocco Sonoma Zinfandel Briar
This is comfort food with a twist - adult kids' food at its best! A combination of fresh and dried wild mushrooms provides wonderful texture and flavor. Use whatever wild mushrooms you'd like in this delicious dish and pair it with our Briar Zinfandel.
Ingredients:
- 3/4 ounce dried mushrooms (preferably shiitake)
- 1/4 cup hot water
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 pound fresh wild mushrooms, chopped
- Coarse sea salt, to taste
- 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup cold chicken broth
- 3 1/2 cups cold milk
- 1/2 pound macaroni or your favorite pasta shape
- 1/2 pound partially dry jack cheese (preferably Vella), chopped or grated
- 1 ounce dry jack cheese (preferably Vella), chopped or grated
Directions:
Put the dried mushrooms in a small bowl, pour the hot water over them and let soak until softened, about 10 minutes. Remove the mushrooms from the liquid and roughly chop. Set aside. Place 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat. When the butter starts to melt, add the fresh wild mushrooms and season with salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer the mushrooms to a bowl. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in the pan, then add the flour and stir with a wooden spoon until fully combined. Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring, for 8 minutes without browning the butter-flour mixture (the roux). Add the cold broth to the roux and stir until smooth. Slowly add the cold milk 1/2 cup at a time, stirring until smooth each time and simmering before adding more. After all the milk has been added, stir and simmer until the sauce is thickened, 15 to 20 minutes. Add the rehydrated dried mushrooms and fresh mushrooms to the sauce, season with salt and simmer for 5 minutes more. Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain and add the pasta to the cream sauce. Add both cheeses and stir until they are completely melted. Adjust the seasoning with salt. Serve immediately with a glass of Briar Zinfandel.
