Chorizo and Manchego Mac and Cheese

The imported cheese sales at Kroger get me into trouble.  At my latest run, I picked up a wedge of manchego, which I’ve never had before.  I know it is a sheep’s milk cheese, nice and firm and a little salty.  I decided the ideal choice of dish was a mac and cheese.  To go with the Spanish theme, I decided to throw in some chorizo, which I also hadn’t had before (at least not that I’ve cooked), and being me, of course, I had to add in some veggies.  The end result was a rich and smokey dish that came in at 6 servings at 581 calories and 33.3 grams of fat.  It doesn’t look all that wonderful but it tastes fabulous.  Serve with a side salad or other veggie to round things out.  So here’s my last minute entry to Presto Pasta Nights, hosted this week by Ruth of Once Upon A Feast.

Ingredients:

• 10 oz chorizo sausage
• 4 oz manchego cheese, grated (or all manchego if you have enough)
• 4 oz. grueyere cheese, grated
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons flour (can use brown rice flour if you’re making this gluten free)
• 1.25 cup skim milk
• 1 heaping teaspoon dried mustard
• 1 egg beaten
• 0.5 cup roasted red peppers, diced
• 6 oz. mushrooms, rough chopped
• pinch cayenne pepper
• pinch pepper
• panko bread crumbs
• buttery spray
• 1 box of penne pasta (undercook it by 1-2 minutes)

Directions:

1. Put your pasta water on to boil.
2. Meanwhile over medium low heat, melt the butter.
3. Meanwhile, turn your oven to 350 degrees to preheat.
4. Meanwhile brown your chorizo.  It should break up like hamburger meat (if it’s in a casing cut it out of the casing).  It’s done when there’s noticeable grease and it’s a little darker.  Drain and set aside.
5. Add 2 tablespoons of flour and whisk to combine.  Cook over medium low heat, stirring constantly for approximately 5 minutes.  This will make your roux, which is the base for your cheese sauce.  You may need to add a little of the milk to thin it out enough to cook and bubble.
6. Gradually whisk in the remainder of the milk until fully incorporated.
7. Add 1 heaping teaspoon of ground mustard, mix well and allow mixture to cook for five minutes, stirring occasionally.
8. Take a moment to beat your egg.  Add about a quarter cup of the gravy like mixture into the egg, beating constantly until mixture is cooled.  This is tempering the egg and prevents it from scrambling as it would if you dumped it straight into the sauce.
9. Add tempered egg to the sauce and mix well.  Turn heat down to low.
10. Now add in all the cheeses and stir until everything is melty and smooth.
11. Next up is seasoning.  Add 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper and as much ground pepper as you like.
12. Add the chorizo and stir well.
13. Add the vegetables and stir well.
14. Add the pasta and stir well.
15. Pour mixture into a large casserole dish or 9×13 baking dish.
16. Sprinkle about a 1/4 cup of breadcrumbs over the top and spritz thoroughly with Buttery Spray.
17. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until top is golden brown.

Printable version.