Top Chef, Season 5, Episode 3

4-8 Servings

• 1/2 cup goat cheese, crumbled
• 1/2 cup Emmental, grated
• 1/2 cup Gruyere, grated
• 1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
• 1 cup white cheddar, grated
• 1 stick (1/4 pound) butter, cubed
• 1/2 cup flour   
• 2 cups white wine
• 1 pint heavy cream
• 2 cups milk
• 1 cup bacon, diced
• 2 teaspoons nutmeg
• Salt to taste
• Pepper to taste
• Macaroni pasta

Cook pasta in boiling water for about 8 minutes or until pasta is cooked. Drain and reserve.

Pre-heat oven to 350. Spread bacon onto a sheet pan and bake for 8- 10 minutes, until bacon is cooked. Reserve.

In a large stock pot on low heat. Melt butter and add flour. Stir often with a wooden spoon to avoid from burning. Let cook for 2 minutes or so, until flour and butter become pasty. Add wine and nutmeg, keep stirring until you start forming a béchamel base. Add Parmesan cheese and stir, let cook on low for a couple of minutes until it starts to melt. Add Gruyere and Emmenthal, let melt and stir, then add the remaining cheeses. A good rule to keep is adding the cheeses from harder to softer in texture. Once you've add all the cheeses add a 2 quarts of milk and stir. Be careful that you do not burn the bottom of the pan. The béchamel tends to burn quiet easily, so make sure you continue to cook it on low. Let cook for 15 minutes or so. Lastly add the heavy cream and salt to taste.

In a casserole dish, add the pasta and pour the cheese mixture over it, enough to cover the noodles with it. Add the cooked bacon and put in oven for 10 minutes.

Some people like extra Parmesan cheese crusted on top.... if so, combine 1/2 cup of bread crumbs and 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle on top on macaroni and cheese before you put it into the oven; cook uncovered until a nice crust is formed.