Down a new rabbit hole: Another chapter
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| Roasted Butternut Squash Mac N' Smoked Cheese |
I am extremely proud to say that I have officially finished my first university degree, which means a couple of things:
1) I'm-a-big-girl-now *cue happy music*
2) OMG I'M-A-BIG-GIRL-NOW *cue adulthood responsibilities* (those professional licenses cost an arm and a couple of toes...)
3) I will be necromancing my blog back to life once more
This is an odd feeling, if not very liberating. Some people have an incredibly strong growth game; they welcome change like a free coffee, feel a new chapter unraveling and run towards it with open arms. ...Me? I'm just... hanging here, in what my best description would be "limbo".
It feels odd, partly because I have been working towards this while imagining the endgame for so long, and partly because I'm not certain what exactly I'm supposed to feel. There is a sensation of lost time, where reality hits that already 5 years have passed, and throughout all of them, I have always looked forward to all that is to come. Soon. The future seemed thrilling, and it still does, with an almost dull ache, a yearning for unwritten chapters full of perpetual possibilities. Still blank: delicious speculation. I could travel, I could try this, I could try that, I could, I could....
And now, here I am. It feels a bit like tumbling down a rabbit hole. Round the last corner, past the college gates, into an open-world. There is a very lucid stillness to it, with no specific rush of deadlines to set the pace of life. It feels strange and wonderful.
Letting the day find me, enjoying a leisurely breakfast still dusty with sleep, breathing slowly. Taking in the world passing by. It's an indulgence.
And now that my -third-fourth?- blog rebirth introduction is done, here is the recipe that I want to share. I feel like it's a pretty good dish to kick winter off the curb, a last comfort food for the woolen season. I have been wanting to try revamping Mac 'N Cheese with squash for a while now, having seen it here and there on multiple food blogs when I was still living in residence.
I am now checking off my culinary experiments' bucket list, babystep-by-babystep...
I'm really really proud of this squash/cheese sauce by the way. The smoked cheddar adds a new level of oomph, and combined with the roasted flavor of the squash, it is really a winning combination. In fact, I would roast everything if I could. Ovens work a wondrous magic (fine, fine, or Maillard reaction, if you prefer... pffsch. Magic pooper..) This casserole is also quite versatile: add broccoli or any choice of meat if you'd like.
Without further ado:
Roasted Butternut Squash Mac N' Smoked Cheese
(Adapted from The Pioneer Woman and Cooking Light)
Servings: 4-6 (Fills an 19 x 29 cm bakepan)
Ingredients:
1/2 butternut squash (~1 pound)
1 yellow onion, sliced1 clove garlic, smashed and minced
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 cup milk
1/4 tsp ground pepper
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp paprika
1 tsp chopped fresh sage, to be incorporated in pasta
1/4 cup grated Gruyère
1/2 cup grated smoked Cheddar (Subs. with cheddar of choice)
Salt to taste; depending on cheese used
375 g uncooked macaroni
1/3 cup panko
(Optional) 1 tbsp grated smoked cheddar
2 tbsp chopped fresh sage, to sprinkle on top
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| Ingredients prepping! |
Preparation:
1. Cook the macaroni until al dente (6-8 minutes) and drain in a colander. Rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process and set aside.
2. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut a whole butternut squash in half lengthwise and scoop out what looks like veggie guts. Set one squash half aside, and brush the other half the squash with olive oil. Arrange coated squash on a baking sheet, flesh side up, and roast in the oven for 25-30 minutes - until lightly browned and fork-tender.
Then, scrape out the flesh and crush squash with a potato masher or a wooden spoon until you get a smooth purée. Alternatively, you can cut out chunks and blend it in a grinder, but wait until it cools down a bit first.
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| Veggie guts. Scoop them out. Scoop all the veggie guts out! |
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| Delicious oven magic. |
3. While you're roasting the squash, finish preparing the ingredients
4. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and onions, and cook until they're a deep golden brown, stirring occasionally. Remove them from the pan and set aside.
5. In that same saucepan, deglaze the caramelized bottom with chicken broth. Wait until it takes on the gorgeous browning of the pan, bubbles a little bit, and homogenizes into a nice, thick sauce debut. Pour in the milk and stir continuously, scraping the bottom and edges of the pan, for a few minutes until the sauce thickens. Aggressive simmering is okay, but do not let it reach a full boil.
6. Once the sauce boils down to about 2/3 of its initial volume, turn the heat to low and stir in the mashed butternut squash.
7. It will look a bit awkward at first, but once the sauce takes on a beautiful orange robe, stir in the smoked cheddar and gruyère until well incorporated. Taste for salt seasoning.
8. Add your caramelized onions & garlic, sage, black pepper, Dijon mustard, paprika, and mix once more. I love this step, because each spice whooshes up with their respective steam of flavor when you add them in - it feels a bit like brewing a potion.
Your sauce is done! Add a bit of chicken broth here if it is too thick, or let it simmer if it is too liquid.
9. Stir in the drained pasta.
Eat immediately if you're in a hurry (I'm looking at you, busy students cooking between courses) or continue to step 10.
10. Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add panko and cook for 2 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from heat; If using, stir in your 1 tbsp of grated smoked cheddar (more smokiness!)
11. Sprinkle evenly panko mix, sage, and an extra whirl of black pepper over the macaroni. Serve and enjoy!
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