There are so many restaurants in Portland to choose from. You could eat at a different place every day of the year, and probably only a handful of the places you’d go to wouldn’t be that great. Going out is fun, but there is also something really thrilling about cooking something restaurant worthy in your own kitchen at home. Especially on a rainy night … which is most nights in Portland.
When attempting the following main courses at home, pay attention to the presentation of the dish. That’s a big part of restaurant experience here. Arrange the food carefully on the plate and maybe consider “propping it” where appropriate with things like radishes curled up into flower-shapes and little drips of colorful sauce. Dim the lights in your living room. Light some candles. Put the bread directly on the table without a basket or a plate for the “rustic” effect. Consider dusting the table with flour, just in the area where the bread goes. And maybe hire a string band to play in one of the corners of the room.
Finally, invite some strangers over to populate the other tables you’ve set up in your dining room. This way, there is no need to go out on a rainy night!
—Fred and Carrie
ROASTED WILD MUSHROOMS WITH FORAGED GREENS AND HAZELNUT VINAIGRETTE
Claire
LOCAVORE DINNER PARTY
I took Doug with me to this dinner party the other day—it was a locavore dinner party, which basically means: all of the food was extremely local. Like, foraged from the land within five blocks of the house. One of the main courses was a fish that our host had caught from the Burnside Bridge with his Fishing Society right by the skate park. I didn’t even know there were fish in the Willamette you could eat, but apparently it’s a thing.
There was also a delicious mushroom dish. On the napkins was a hand-illustrated guide of poisonous versus nonpoisonous mushrooms growing in the neighborhood. It was really crafty and interesting.
It was a potluck dinner, so Doug and I were supposed to bring something locally foraged, too. We went on a walk around the block, mostly in people’s backyards, looking for edible things. We found a plum tree at our neighbor’s place, but we would have had to take a lot of them, which seemed sketchy. This guy down the street has a chicken coop … but that seemed really complicated even if we just tiptoed in there and took a couple of eggs. The chickens did not seem friendly.
We ended up bringing some mint from our backyard. I used it to make mint lemonade. And Doug made a mix tape to play at the party, which went over really well.
TOTAL: 50 MINUTES SERVES 41 pound mixed wild mushrooms, such as chanterelles, shiitake, matsutake, oyster, king oyster, shimeji, or lobster mushrooms, sliced, quartered, or whole if small
½ teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
½ teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons plus 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ cup hazelnuts
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon hazelnut oil
4 large eggs
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 small garlic clove, grated on a microplane
5 ounces mixed baby wild greens, such as baby kale, watercress, dandelion, arugula
2 ounces shaved hard cheese, such as Sardinian Pecorino, Manchego, dry Jack
1 Preheat the oven to 450°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
2 In a bowl, combine the mushrooms, thyme, rosemary, butter, and 2 tablespoons of the oil and toss to coat. Spread on the baking sheet and roast until browned and tender, about 20 minutes, stirring once or twice. Season with salt and pepper to taste and let cool.
3 Spread the hazelnuts on a pie plate and toast until fragrant and the skins blister, about 8 minutes. Transfer the nuts to a kitchen towel and rub off the skins. Coarsely chop the nuts and toss with 1 teaspoon of the hazelnut oil. Season with salt to taste and set aside.
4 In a large bowl, whisk the vinegar with the garlic, the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil, and the remaining 1 tablespoon of hazelnut oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
5 Add the mushrooms, greens, cheese, and hazelnuts and toss to combine.
6 Prepare the eggs. Crack the eggs into individual ramekins, being careful not to break the yolks. Bring a deep skillet of water to a boil and season with salt. Reduce the heat to low and one by one pour each egg into the simmering water, leaving space between the eggs. Poach the eggs until the whites are set but the yolks are still runny, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the eggs to a paper towel–lined plate and gently pat dry.
7 To serve, transfer the salad to plates and top each with a poached egg.
Make ahead: The mushrooms and dressing can be refrigerated separately for up to 3 days.
CEDAR-PLANKED SALMON WITH TANGY RADISH SLAW
TOTAL: 2 HOURS, 35 MINUTES SERVES 41 large cedar plank
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon pure ancho chile powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 pounds center-cut salmon fillet, such as Chinook (king) or sockeye, skin on, about 1½ inches thick, pin bones removed
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
3 large radishes (about 5 ounces), cut into fine matchsticks (about 1 cup)
1 large scallion, thinly sliced
½ small Thai chile, minced (about ¼ teaspoon)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1½ teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 Soak the cedar plank in warm water for 2 hours.
2 In a small bowl, combine the sugar, cumin, chile powder, salt, and pepper. Brush the salmon all over with oil and rub with the spice mixture. Let sit for 15 minutes.
3 In a bowl, toss the radishes with the scallion, chile, parsley, lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4 Light a grill and drain the cedar plank. Pat dry. Set the salmon on the plank, skin side down, and place on the grill. Cover and cook over high heat until the plank begins to smoke and the salmon is cooked through, about 20 minutes for king salmon and about 10 minutes for sockeye, which is thinner and less fatty. Serve the salmon with the radish slaw.
When you go to a restaurant, you have a right—as a paying customer—to move from table to table. Do not be afraid to constantly move around. Maybe you sit down and look at the menu at one table,1 but then you notice that it is too close to a vent. Get up and change tables if the vent is:2
If you’re eating your appetizers at a table by the door and a booth becomes available, move to the booth.3 You can just carry your plates and silverware across the room. They don’t mind the help! If the sun comes out from behind a building and starts blinding you, or they sat you right next to a speaker and it’s thumping in your ear, just get up and move. We recommend facing the door, in general.4 Just to keep an eye on who is coming in and out of the restaurant. We also suggest sitting with a view of the kitchen while they are making your food,5 and then moving over to the window when it is time to eat.6 (Just to get away from all the kitchen noise and smells and racket.)
In case you are seated at an uneven, rocking table, we recommend bringing a wedge of wood with you to the restaurant. Just stick it under the leg of the table so it stops rocking around. Rolled-up newspaper or napkins just don’t work as well. The restaurant will thank you.
BUTTERFLIED CHICKEN ROASTED OVER BREAD
ORDERING THE CHICKEN
Nance and I have been living together in Portland for—how long has it been? Maybe ten years? That can’t—is it possible? Fifteen? Twenty? You and me?
Peter knows exactly how long it’s been. Our anniversary is coming up soon so he’s just teasing me. Very funny, mister.
Me? And you?
The city of Portland brought Peter and me together in the first place. And our love for each other is continually renewed by date nights and other adventures out in this town.
So I take her out on these dates … and the food here in Portland is just great. Let me tell you. The things you can eat! For dinner? Lunch? So many options and choices and things you can have or not have, depending on what you want …
And local and sustainable. You can eat consciously and ethically. That’s something Peter and I also have in common. We care about our choices. And we would encourage you to do the same.
Not in a pushy way—just a friendly version of encouraging.
When ordering at a restaurant, ask questions. Find out if your food is local and, if so, how local? Was it ethically raised, and by whom?
Ask yourself: Who are these people?
Ask the questions you want answers to.
TOTAL: 1½ HOURS SERVES 4 to 61 pound small Italian or Japanese eggplants, cut into 1½-inch chunks
1 1-pound loaf of Italian bread, cut into 1½-inch chunks
½ cup pitted Sicilian green olives
1 tablespoon harissa or sambal
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves
½ tablespoon finely chopped fresh oregano
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 3½- to 4-pound chicken
½ cup crumbled feta
1 Preheat the oven to 425°F.
2 In a large bowl, combine the eggplant, bread, olives, harissa, garlic, rosemary, oregano, and olive oil and season lightly with salt and pepper. Transfer the mixture to a roasting pan or a large, rimmed baking sheet in an even layer.
3 On a cutting board, using kitchen shears, cut on either side of the chicken’s backbone and remove it. Set the chicken breast-side-up and press to lightly crack the breastbone and flatten the breast. Season the chicken all over with salt and pepper and set it on the bread mixture.
4 Roast the chicken in the center of the oven for about 1 hour, until the skin is crispy and golden and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thigh registers 165°F, the eggplant is tender, and the bread is lightly toasted in spots. Be sure to lift the bird and stir the mixture occasionally for even browning.
5 Turn on the broiler. Move the chicken to one side and stir the feta into the bread and eggplant. Set the chicken, skin-side-down, on top of the mixture and broil until everything is crispy and lightly browned, being careful not to burn the bread. Flip the chicken so it is skin-side-up, spreading the bread and eggplant mixture all around, and broil for 1 to 2 minutes to recrisp the skin. Cut into pieces and serve.
SERVES 4½ cup tahini (sesame paste)
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
½ cup mayonnaise
Kosher salt
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, cut into thin slivers
2 teaspoons ground cumin
½ teaspoon dried oregano
4 cups shredded leftover chicken, preferably dark meat (about 1 pound)
Hot sauce, chopped lettuce, sliced tomatoes, rice, and warmed pita, for serving
1 In a blender or mini chopper, combine the tahini with ½ cup of water, half of the garlic, and 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice and puree until smooth. Add the mayonnaise and process until creamy. Season with salt to taste.
2 In a large skillet, heat the oil. Add the onion, cumin, and oregano and season with salt to taste. Cook over high heat, stirring, until the onion is lightly charred and just tender, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken, season lightly with salt, and cook, stirring, until heated through.
3 Serve the shawarma with the tahini sauce, hot sauce, lettuce, tomatoes, rice, and pita.
SERVES 4 to 62 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium Vidalia onion, finely chopped
2 large poblano peppers, stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped
2 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons ground cumin
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
4 corn tortillas, cut into 1-inch strips
¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves, plus more for garnish
1 pound shredded roasted chicken (about 4 loose cups)
1 cup canned, rinsed, and drained hominy
Sour cream and tortilla chips, for serving
1 In a large pot, heat the oil. Add the onion, poblanos, garlic, and cumin and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.
2 Add the broth and tortilla strips, cover, and bring to a boil. Simmer over low heat until the vegetables and tortilla strips are very soft, about 5 minutes.
3 Add the ¼ cup of cilantro and, using a stick blender, puree the soup until smooth.
4 Add the chicken and hominy and simmer uncovered for 5 minutes longer.
5 Ladle the soup into shallow bowls and garnish with cilantro, sour cream, and tortilla chips.
Make ahead: The soup can be refrigerated overnight. Thin the soup with broth if necessary.
TOTAL: 50 MINUTES SERVES 48 baby artichokes
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 boneless strip steak, 3 inches thick (about 2 pounds)
4 garlic cloves, halved
4 4-inch sprigs of fresh rosemary
4 4-inch sprigs of fresh thyme
Shaved Parmesan, for garnish
1 Pluck off and discard the outer leaves of the artichokes, revealing a yellow-green core. Using a serrated knife, trim off the top third. Cut each of the artichokes into quarters.
2 Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil. Add the artichokes and cook for 2 minutes. Drain and pat dry.
3 Transfer the artichokes to a medium bowl and toss with 2 tablespoons of the oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4 Preheat the oven to 400°F and preheat a large cast-iron skillet until very hot.
5 Season the steak with salt and pepper to taste. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the skillet and add the steak, garlic, and sprigs of rosemary and thyme. Cook over high heat until the steak is brown and crusty on the bottom and the sides, about 10 minutes. Flip the steak over completely and set the garlic, rosemary, and thyme on top. Add the artichokes to the skillet around the steak.
6 Place the skillet into the oven and roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 135°F, about 20 minutes. Transfer the steak to a cutting board and let rest 10 minutes.
7 Strip the rosemary and thyme leaves from their stems and add them to the artichokes.
8 Thinly slice the steak and arrange it on a platter. Add the artichokes and garnish with shaved Parmesan. Serve right away.
COMMUNAL TABLE ETIQUETTE
Dear Guest,
Thank you for visiting our restaurant. We expect this may not be your first time dining at a communal table. Either way, here is a friendly reminder of some guidelines for making the dining experience pleasant for all those seated together.
1 Space yourselves out. There is no need to sit right next to someone if the table is pretty much empty. Just go to the other end.
2 Please do your best to pretend not to be listening to other people’s conversations. In general, we suggest avoiding eye contact or looking at people. The best solution is a smile followed by quickly looking away.
3 Salt, pepper, olive oil, and those little boxes of jelly are meant to be shared. If you are feeling overwhelmed by too much passing-things-to-your-neighbors, just notify our waitstaff. We will bring some more condiments to minimize the need for passing.
4 No matter how nice they seem, please do not request to try a bite of your neighbor’s food. Even if they offer. Remember: This person is a stranger.
5 If you need something passed to you, please wait for a pause in your neighbor’s conversation before requesting help. (Reminder: As you’re listening for this appropriate pause in conversation, avert your eyes in another direction so it doesn’t seem like you’re eavesdropping.)
6 The communal table is not a place you go to recruit people. For anything.
7 Please don’t spoil TV shows for your neighbors or waiters. If you absolutely need to discuss television, we can seat you at a small separate table in the back room.
8 It is important to keep track of whose silverware is whose. If someone uses your fork without realizing it, please avoid confrontation. Just drop the used fork on the ground and we will bring you a fresh fork.
9 Please respect parties of one. It is acceptable to briefly include a party of one in a conversation, but do not bulldoze their dining experience with your questions and stories just because they have no one else to talk to. They may prefer to eat in peace.
10 No telling loud, long stories.
11 Buying alcoholic beverages for people at the other end of the table who you do not know is prohibited. Things can get uncomfortable, so we need to have this rule.
12 No children, sorry. At all.
Stu’s Stews Featuring Donald
TOTAL: 5 HOURS SERVES 61 large onion, quartered
3 large garlic cloves, smashed
6 ¼-inch slices of peeled ginger
½ cup soy sauce
½ cup mirin
½ cup unsweetened apple juice
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
3 pounds beef short ribs (2½ inches long), cut between the bones
2 tablespoons canola oil
4 cups low-sodium chicken or beef broth
1 pound large carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 pound daikon, peeled and cut into 1½-inch chunks
6 large fingerling potatoes (about 12 ounces), peeled and halved
1 cup vacuum-sealed roasted chestnuts
Steamed short-grain rice and kimchee, for serving
1 In a blender, combine the onion, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, mirin, apple juice, and sesame oil and puree until smooth.
2 Pour the mixture into a resealable plastic bag and add the short ribs. Close the bag, press out the air, and let sit at room temperature for 2 hours or refrigerate overnight.
3 Lift the ribs from the marinade, reserving the marinade. Scrape the solid bits off ribs and pat dry.
4 Heat the oil in a large enameled cast-iron casserole over moderate heat. Brown the meat in one batch, turning occasionally, until browned and crusty all over, about 10 minutes. Add the marinade and broth and bring to a boil. Cook over low heat, covered with a slight opening, until the meat is nearly tender, 2 hours.
5 Add the carrots, daikon, potatoes, and chestnuts, tucking them into the liquid as best as possible. Cover and cook until tender, about 1 hour longer, stirring occasionally so the vegetables are mostly submerged.
6 Spoon off as much fat as possible and serve the ribs and vegetables with steamed short-grain rice and kimchee.
Make ahead: The short ribs can be marinated overnight, and the stew can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.
100% AUTHENTIC SPANISH CUISINE
We hope you enjoy this recipe for AUTHENTIC paella. As they say in España: A comer la paella es un placer para toda la vida. I say that as often as I can, and loudly. Kath and I traveled extensively and intensely throughout the northern and southern regions of Spain. The instructions and amounts that you see in this recipe are to be followed precisely.
Love,
Dave
TOTAL: 50 MINUTES SERVES 65 cups low-sodium chicken broth
Large pinch of saffron threads
1½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
6 small chicken drumsticks (3 ounces each)
½ rabbit (about 1¼ pounds) cut into 6 pieces (through the bone; see Note)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 ounces chorizo, halved lengthwise and cut into ½-inch-thick slices
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 small green bell pepper, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
½ teaspoon smoked sweet paprika
1½ cups uncooked short-grain rice, such as Bomba or Calasparra
1 cup frozen baby lima beans
1 large roasted pepper, cut into ½-inch strips
Lemon wedges, for serving
Note: Alternatively, omit the rabbit and use slightly larger chicken drumsticks.
1 Preheat the oven to 425°F.
2 In a medium saucepan, bring the broth to a simmer and crumble in the saffron. Cover and let sit off the heat for 15 minutes.
3 In a 12-inch paella pan or ovenproof skillet, heat the oil until shimmering. Season the chicken and rabbit with salt and pepper to taste and add to the skillet. Cook over medium-high heat, turning once, until browned and crusty, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a platter.
4 Add the chorizo, onion, green pepper, and garlic to the pan. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring, until the chorizo has rendered its fat and the vegetables are softened, 7 to 8 minutes.
5 Stir in the tomatoes and paprika and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is very dry, about 5 minutes.
6 Stir in the rice and lima beans. Nestle the chicken and rabbit partway into the rice and arrange the roasted pepper strips in between. Add the broth and simmer uncovered over medium heat for 10 minutes, gently shaking the pan once or twice, but not stirring. The liquid should be bubbling just below the surface. Carefully transfer the pan to the oven and cook, uncovered, until the liquid is absorbed, about 10 minutes. (The rice will not be completely cooked.)
7 Carefully transfer the pan to the stove top, cover with a kitchen towel and lid, and let sit off the heat for 10 minutes. (The rice will plump and soften.) Serve the paella right away, with lemon wedges. Leftover paella can be formed into patties, breaded, and fried.
Malcolm and Kris
Portland, OR
Our students over at the college have raved about this restaurant, so we had to check it out for ourselves. Boy, were they right! Your body will thank you for eating here.
Our very sweet waitress picked out a few things for us to try. It was all very light, but it still felt like real food. The highlight was the quinoa and kale bowl. The dried currant and goji berry salad is also worth trying. And the chipotle tempeh was interesting! Also, we’d recommend getting a side of garlic tahini if you order the sea vegetables.
You should know that after eating here, everyone gets a little gassy. It’s normal! There is a beautiful patio in the back of the restaurant where you can fart as much as you please. It’s the designated area for farting. You’ll love it! The whole place really feels like a community.
KALE AND QUINOA BOWL WITH TOFU AND MUSHROOMS
TOTAL: 45 MINUTES SERVES 4 TO 5
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 large shallot, minced (about ¼ cup)
¾ cup quinoa
Kosher salt
¼ cup vegetable oil
4 cups trimmed and sliced mixed wild mushrooms (about 8 ounces)
8 ounces firm tofu (not silken), cut into ¾-inch cubes
1 large shallot, minced (about ¼ cup)
2 teaspoons minced fresh, peeled ginger
5 ounces baby kale (about 6 lightly packed cups)
1½ tablespoons soy sauce
1 Make the quinoa: In a medium saucepan, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the shallot and cook over medium heat until softened, about 4 minutes.
2 Add the quinoa and cook, stirring until it’s nutty and you begin to hear a popping sound, about 3 minutes. Add 1½ cups water and a pinch of salt and bring to a strong boil. Cover and cook over low heat for 15 minutes, until all the water is absorbed. Let sit off the heat for 15 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
3 Make the vegetables: In a large nonstick skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil until shimmering. Add the mushrooms and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until golden and crisp, about 10 minutes.
4 Scrape the mushrooms onto a plate and heat another tablespoon of the oil in the same skillet. Add the tofu and cook over moderately high heat, turning occasionally, until browned all over, about 7 minutes.
5 Add the tofu to the mushrooms on the plate and heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of the oil in the same skillet. Add the shallots and ginger and cook over medium-high heat, stirring until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the kale and cook, stirring until wilted, about 3 minutes.
6 Return the tofu and mushrooms to the skillet and cook together, stirring, until heated through, about 2 minutes. Add the soy sauce and cook, stirring for 1 minute.
7 Mound the quinoa in bowls and top with the kale, mushroom, and tofu. Serve right away.
Reviewer Submitted Photos
Alexandra
COOKING FOR ROOMMATES
I don’t cook much, but the one thing I know how to make super-well is lasagna. I like to make a huge batch of this stuff on Sunday, stick it in the freezer, and then just pop it in the microwave whenever I’m hungry! It has almost all the food groups—vegetables, starch, and dairy. So pretty healthy. You can add meat if you want to do the entire “food pyramid.” And it doesn’t need to have meat in it if you’re trying to lose weight. And a fun thing to do if you’re bringing it to a potluck or a party is take a can of Cheez Whiz and use it to decorate the lasagna with little flowers. Like frosting! You can write your initials. Or if it’s someone’s birthday you can write a little birthday message on it. Be creative!
TOTAL: 2 HOURS SERVES 10 TO 12¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound ground beef (chuck or sirloin)
4 large garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon dried Italian oregano, crumbled
Large pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 28-ounce cans of peeled San Marzano tomatoes, pulsed in a food processor
1 28-ounce can of tomato puree
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 dried bay leaves, preferably imported
2 sprigs of fresh basil
1 tablespoon sugar
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1½ pounds sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
2 pounds fresh ricotta (about 3¼ cups)
½ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh sweet basil
1 pound mozzarella, not fresh, shredded (about 3 cups)
1 large egg, beaten
1 pound dried lasagna noodles
1 Make the tomato sauce: In a large heavy casserole, heat the oil. Add the ground beef and cook over medium-high heat until no longer pink, about 5 minutes, breaking the meat into large chunks with the spoon.
2 Add the garlic, oregano, and crushed red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, 2 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook, stirring, until slightly darkened, about 3 minutes.
3 Add the canned tomatoes, tomato puree, chicken broth, bay leaves, basil sprigs, and sugar. Season with salt and pepper to taste and bring to a boil. Simmer uncovered over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until thickened and reduced to 8 cups, about 1½ hours. Remove the bay leaves and basil sprigs.
4 Heat a large skillet. Add the sausage meat in large pieces and cook over medium-high heat until browned and just cooked through, about 10 minutes. Drain the sausage and break into ½-inch lumps.
5 In a large bowl, combine the ricotta with ¼ cup of the Parmesan, the parsley, and the chopped sweet basil. Add two-thirds of the mozzarella and season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the egg.
6 Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the lasagna and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Drain the noodles and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking. Pat the noodles dry between layers of paper towels, reserving the four best for the top.
7 Preheat the oven to 375°F.
8 Spread 1 cup of the tomato sauce in the bottom of a 9 × 13 × 3-inch rectangular baking dish. Arrange 4 noodles overlapping slightly in the bottom. Spoon half of the ricotta mixture onto the noodles, then spread evenly. Top with half of the sausage and 1½ cups of the sauce. Arrange another 4 noodles on top, followed by the remaining ricotta mixture, sausage, and another 1½ cups of sauce. Arrange the four best noodles on top and spread with 1½ cups of sauce.
9 Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan on top and bake until the top is browned, crusty around the edges, and bubbling, about 45 minutes. Let the lasagna rest 20 minutes before cutting into squares.
Malcolm
PRAIRIE HOME COMPANION TAILGATE
My wife Kris and I have been tailgating Prairie Home Companion live shows for years now. Years. And every time—every time—I’m the idiot stuck doing all of the cooking. Now, how did that happen!? And, well, it’s not because Kris is lazy. She’s a great cook herself, don’t get me wrong. No, I’m doing all the cooking at these things because it is the one time a year I’ll fire up the ol’ Crock-Pot and make my Puree Home Comp-Onion. And, let me tell you, my wife is just nuts about it. Just loses her mind over the stuff. I’m starting to think she just wants to go to these live shows for the tailgating food.… Nah, not really. She loves the show. Loves Garrison. Maybe a little too much, if you know what I’m getting at. I’m sitting over here starting to think—are you listening to this or not? I’m starting to think my wife loves this soup more than me!
Anyway, this is all just—I’m just joking around with you. You know what I’m thinking? I’m thinking I’ll go ahead and give you the secret about how to make the stuff. Don’t steal it from me. Or do steal it. Go ahead and take it. That way you can do the cooking from now on. I can just kick back on my folding chair and enjoy an ice-cold tea.
TOTAL: 12 TO 18 HOURS, DEPENDING ON THE MACHINE SERVES 63 large Spanish onions (about 2½ to 3 pounds), halved and thinly sliced (about 12 cups)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus softened butter for spreading
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons cognac or dry sherry
1 quart beef stock, preferably homemade
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour whisked with 2 tablespoons water
1 bouquet garni made with 1 dried bay leaf, 2 sprigs of fresh thyme, 2 juniper berries, and ½ teaspoon whole black peppercorns, tied in cheesecloth
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Crusty baguette, sliced ½ inch thick
3 cups loosely packed coarsely shredded Gruyère cheese (about 8 ounces)
1 Heat the slow cooker on high and add the onions, melted butter, and sugar. Toss to coat evenly, cover, and cook on high power until the onions are browned and soft, about 12 hours. Stir the onions several times so they occasionally make contact with the bottom of the slow cooker. Remove the lid, add the cognac, and continue to cook on high power until all the liquid is evaporated and the onions are silky and deep brown, about 2 hours longer, depending upon the machine. Add the beef stock, flour/water mixture, bouquet garni, and salt and pepper to taste, then cover and cook on high power for 2 hours longer, depending upon the machine. Remove the bouquet garni and season the soup with salt and pepper to taste.
2 Preheat the broiler. Butter the bread on both sides and arrange on a baking sheet. Broil in the center of the oven until lightly toasted, turning once. Ladle the soup into ovenproof bowls and set them on a sturdy baking sheet. Add the bread, fitting slices to cover the entire surface. Sprinkle the cheese on the bread and broil in the center of the oven until melted and browned, about 5 minutes. Serve right away.
3 Alternatively, prepare the soup on the stove top. Cook the onions and sugar in the butter in a large deep skillet, covered, over medium heat until softened. Uncover and cook, stirring frequently, until deeply caramelized, about 45 minutes, adding a few tablespoons of water to the pan to prevent scorching. Add the cognac and cook until evaporated. Add flour/water mixture and bouquet garni and simmer for 45 minutes over low heat. Proceed from step 2.
Mr. Mayor
If you can open up your heart
and you can feel the sun
and feel the music
all is good
and all is forgiven
—King Desmond and the Accelerators
TOTAL: 2 HOURS PLUS OVERNIGHT SERVES 8 TO 106 large garlic cloves
6 scallions, cut into 1-inch pieces
1½ tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
2 Scotch bonnet chiles, seeded
6 ¼-inch pieces peeled fresh ginger
¼ cup distilled white vinegar
2 tablespoons (packed) dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground allspice
½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Kosher salt
2 3½-pound chickens, quartered
1 In a blender, combine the garlic, scallions, thyme, chiles, ginger, vinegar, brown sugar, allspice, and nutmeg and add ¼ cup of water. Puree until smooth.
2 Carefully open the lid, averting your face to avoid fumes, and pour the mixture into a large bowl. Season generously with salt and add the chicken, turning to coat.
3 Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
4 Return the chicken to room temperature.
5 Light a grill and oil the grates. Grill the chicken over medium heat, turning occasionally, until lightly charred and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thigh joint registers 168°F, about 35 minutes. Alternatively, preheat the broiler and set a rack in the lower third of the oven. Broil the chicken on a sturdy pan, turning occasionally, about 40 minutes.
Make ahead: The chicken can be marinated overnight.
MH: Hi. I’m Marcus Harris.
MH: And I’m Madeline Harris.
MH: And guess what?
MH & MH: We’re TWINS!
MH: For years, door-to-door petitioners have been petitioning and petitioning to ban the plastic bag in Portland.
MH: And guess what? They did it! Plastic checkout bags are OUT.
MH: You will not find a single plastic bag in a single grocery store in a single neighborhood or area of Portland.
MH: Except for produce bags. The rolled-up clear ones. Those are not banned, but we should please go ahead and ban them. They’re really hard to tear apart. And also you feel guilty about taking a lot of them, so instead you put all of your fruit and vegetables in one bag. And then you feel guilty again at the checkout, because the person has to dig through the bag and separate everything, which seems to really irritate them. And the checkout person kind of looks at you. In an annoyed way. The whole thing is very stressful. Let’s ban them. Please.
MH: Are you okay?
MH: Yes.
MH: Instead, Portlanders everywhere use reusable canvas bags when shopping. So don’t forget your reusable bag when you head to the grocery store!
MH: Reusable canvas bags are not only handy, they also make a statement. The statement is: I care about the environment.
MH: Or they can make other statements. They’re like a car-free bumper sticker. You may be on a bike, but you still have a way to say, hey guys: I ♥ NEW YORK
MH: Or MY OTHER KID IS A CORGI.
MH: I don’t get it.
MH: It would have a little corgi illustration on it.
MH: Still don’t get it.
MH: It’s like I love my corgi so much it’s practically my other kid.
MH: You don’t have a kid …
MH: You’ve never been to New York City …
MH: I had a layover in Buffalo.
MH: That doesn’t count.
MH: It’s New York. And I loved it.
MH: Your bag is misleading.
AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 PLATES
Um, so, hello my name is Craig. I work at the … at the ’Round the World in 80 Plates. So, my manager asked if maybe I could talk about the tacos. I guess what I would say is: yeah, I make the tacos. Right there in the back, in the kitchen. At the taco station by the security monitors. And, I guess people like them, so. That’s good. They call them the “crazy” tacos. But I don’t know what makes them so crazy. They seem pretty normal to me. Anyways, please enjoy your tacos. If you don’t like tacos, the restaurant has other things. Like the Slamburger.
Everything else on the menu is … sort of … complicated … so that’s what I would go ahead and recommend to you. Slamburger. With a normal kind of bun.
TOTAL: 45 MINUTES SERVES 48 ounces red or green cabbage, finely shredded (about 6 packed cups)
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing
4 small scallions
1 pound red snapper fillets, pin bones removed
2 ripe Hass avocados, mashed
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus whole leaves for garnish
12 corn tortillas, warmed
Sliced pickled jalapeños, sliced radishes, and sour cream, for garnish
1 In a medium bowl, combine the cabbage with 1 tablespoon of lime juice and a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Using your hands, squeeze and massage the cabbage until just wilted.
2 Light a grill and oil the grates. Brush the scallions and fish with oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Grill over high heat, turning once, until the scallions are charred and the fish is cooked through, about 6 minutes.
3 Chop the scallions and add them to a medium bowl along with the avocado, chopped cilantro, and the remaining 2 tablespoons of lime juice and stir to combine. Season with salt.
4 Serve the fish, cabbage, and guac in the warm tortillas, garnished with the jalapeños, radishes, sour cream, and cilantro leaves.
SERVES 42 poblano chiles, about 4 ounces each
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more for brushing
1 large onion, thinly sliced lengthwise, plus more for serving
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 ounces (about 1 cup) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon ketchup
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 pound ground sirloin
1 pound ground chuck
4 large brioche rolls, split
Lettuce leaves and tomato, for serving
1 Roast the chiles over a gas flame, turning, until charred all over. Transfer them to a bowl, cover the bowl with plastic, and let them cool. Then peel, seed, and thinly slice the chiles.
2 In a medium skillet, heat the oil over high heat until shimmering. Add the onion and cook over high heat without stirring, until browned but not softened, about 5 minutes. Add the chiles and cook, stirring occasionally, until charred and tender, about 5 minutes longer.
3 Scrape the mixture back into the bowl, season with salt and pepper to taste, and let cool completely. Stir in the cheese.
4 In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise with the mustard, ketchup, and Worcestershire sauce.
5 Light a grill and oil the grate.
6 In a large bowl, combine the sirloin and chuck and form into eight 4-inch patties. Make a slight indentation in the center of each patty using your thumb; this will prevent the patties from puffing up when cooked. Brush with oil and season with salt and pepper to taste.
7 Brush the cut sides of the rolls with oil and set aside.
8 Grill the burgers on one side until lightly charred, about 2 minutes. Flip the burgers and mound the chile-onion-cheese mixture onto each and grill for 2 minutes longer for medium to medium-rare meat.
9 Grill the rolls until toasted, about 1 minute, turning once or twice. Stack 2 burgers on each roll and top with lettuce, onion, tomato, and special sauce. Close the burger and serve.
FIRE PIT COOKING
BY MALCOLM AND KRIS
Making dinner in our backyard fire pit is one of our favorite things to do as a couple. We don’t do it as often as we used to, mostly because of our schedules (and sometimes we’re just not in the mood). But back in our younger days, we were constantly at it. Just the two of us, the moon, a pot, some tongs, coyote sounds in the distance, and the open flame.
Few things are more exciting than cooking directly over a roaring fire. You think restaurants are romantic with their doilies and tablecloths? You want romance? Try feeding each other under the stars. Directly under them. Candlelit dinners get you hot to trot? Try eating next to a flame so big that you have to take your jacket off and scoot away a little.
Fire pit cooking can get sloppy now and then, but remember: No one is judging. Being dirty is part of the thrill of it. Nobody even needs to know what you’re up to. Just keep your voices down.
Safety-wise, it’s important to keep in mind that the fire pit can get really hot, and if you’re not careful you might get burned. Use protection. Oven mitts, heat-resistant silicone gloves—whatever you have. And keep a bucket of water nearby just in case.
Occasionally while cooking at the pit, one of us might get a little too hot and need to go inside and take a break. Just to cool off. We have realized that it’s important that we’re comfortable, or else it’s just no fun. Generally our rule is: before you stoke, let’s talk about how we’re both feeling about the temperature situation. If we agree we’re ready for another log, let’s add one. If either of us is getting sleepy, no more logs. We can just dump some water on the pit and hit the sack.
Just a quick note: Our fire pit is 30 inches in diameter. Original craftsman stone. Hand built by Malcolm.
These are our pit-cooked food recommendations:
SLOPGOALYA
This is a recipe from Kris’s Girl Scout days. To make slopgoalya (slop-GOAL-yah), each girl used to put on a blindfold, pick out one can of food from her pantry at home, and bring it to camp. This meant peas, tomato sauce, corn, cooked spaghetti, olives, kidney beans, green beans, mixed beans, black beans, refried beans, chili. Pork and beans. Beans. Anything. You name it.
The next step was to take these cans of everything and dump them into one big pot and stick it in the fire. Once the mixture was bubbling and frothy, we’d each scoop up a heaping portion with our metal camping cups. Mmmm.
The most important ingredient is the blindfold. We still blindfold ourselves to this day and couldn’t enjoy slopgoalya without it.
HOT DOGS
There are a million ways to cook a hot dog. You can stick it sideways on the stick and cook it over the fire. Or, for more control, you can carefully pierce it lengthwise right down the middle of the whole wiener. This way you can be sure it won’t wobble around or fall off. Nobody likes that. Or you can wrap the hot dog up in foil, pierce it with a stick, and roast it. This provides a steamed effect, which some people like. Or just boil the hot dogs in a pot of beans stuck in the pit. Cut them up first, if desired.
FISH
We have never actually done this before, but we’ve heard there is a way to wrap a fish in mud, put it in the fire, bake it in there until the mud hardens, take the fish out, crack open the hard mud, and inside the fish is perfectly cooked! The skin keeps it clean, and you just eat the interior meat with your fingers. Everything tastes better if you eat it with your hands, which makes sense. It’s primal and you’re allowed to have that urge.
HOBO PACKETS/AKA ANYTHING
It’s fun to come up with little names for things. The term “hobo packets” conjures a certain scrappiness, a certain communing with the land.
1. Wrap the food in aluminum foil.
2. Suspend it on a stick (or sticks) and roast it.
S’MORES
We don’t eat sugar, but we wanted to quickly note that if you do choose to make s’mores, please be careful. This is Malcolm speaking right now, and I read somewhere, I can’t remember where, that burnt marshmallows are extremely dangerous. We’re talking cancer. From the burnt part.
Well, I’m back on the Spaghetti Wagon! (This is Peter, by the way.… Nance is here, too, but she’s quietly reading a book. She is saying hello. Hi, Nance!)
So I’m back on pasta. But in a healthy way. I have learned to indulge my habit in moderation. That’s the key to a nonabusive relationship with pasta. Moderation.
And you know what, it’s funny.… There are millions and millions and millions of types of pastas out there. There’s ravioli. Rigatoni. Mostacholi. Bigoli. Rotini … Ricciolini. Fettucini. Linguini. Stringozzi. Conchigliette. Gigli. Fiori … Macaroni. Panette. Barbina. Capellini. Pellizzoni. Pici. Ziti. Ciriole. Mafalde. Mafaldie. Lasagna, of course. Pizzoccheri. Tripoline. Cannelloni. Cavatappi. Ditalini. Garganelli. Marziani, which are kind of short spirals. Penne. Pennette. Pennoni …
… The tennis racket kind … Bow ties. Wagon wheels. Seashells. ABCDs. Stars. The kind that is a more round bow tie that you’d wear to a less formal event. And those little pieces of pasta-rice. What are those rice ones, Nance? Orzo. I can never remember that. Orzo. Orzo. Orzo.
All of these different kinds of pasta out there—and what do I like the most? Good ol’ boring ol’ Spaghetti and Meatballs. I can’t help it. Something about the shape? The noodley shape? With meatballs! My mouth, it just: waters. I love it. In moderation, I love it.
Here’s the recipe Nance and I like to make together. Just every once in a while …
TOTAL: 2½ HOURS SERVES 8 TO 10¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 very large onion, finely chopped (about 2 cups)
4 large garlic cloves, minced (about 2 tablespoons)
¼ cup tomato paste
2 28-ounce cans peeled whole Italian tomatoes, pureed in a blender (don’t buy puree)
3 cups water
1 tablespoon sugar
1 large sprig of fresh sweet basil
2 dried bay leaves
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1½ cups finely diced white bread (about 2 ounces)
¼ cup whole milk
1 large egg
¼ cup freshly grated pecorino Romano or Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for serving
¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon minced fresh oregano
1 pound ground sirloin
1 pound ground pork
Vegetable oil, for frying
2 pounds dried spaghetti
Crusty bread
1 In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 8 minutes. Scrape half the mixture into a large bowl and let cool.
2 Stir the tomato paste into the remainder of the onion-garlic mixture and cook over medium heat, stirring until the paste takes on a deep rust color, 5 to 6 minutes.
3 Add the pureed tomatoes, water, sugar, basil, bay leaves, and crushed red pepper and season lightly with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then simmer over moderately low heat for 1 hour, until slightly reduced.
4 Meanwhile, add the bread and milk to the onions in the bowl and squeeze with your hands, turning the bread into a paste. Add the egg, cheese, parsley, rosemary, and oregano and mix to combine. Add the beef and pork and work until evenly combined. Divide the mixture into 24 scant ¼-cup mounds and, using lightly moistened hands, roll into neat balls.
5 In 2 large skillets, heat ¼ inch of vegetable oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the meatballs and cook, turning occasionally, until golden and crusty all over, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the meatballs to a plate and set aside. After the sauce has cooked for 1 hour, add the meatballs and simmer until the sauce is thick and luscious and the meatballs are tender, about 45 minutes longer. Discard the basil and bay leaves.
6 Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook until al dente. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot. Add enough sauce to coat the pasta and cook over medium heat for 1 minute, stirring and tossing. Transfer the spaghetti to a platter and arrange the meatballs all around. Serve with crusty bread and freshly grated cheese.
Make ahead: The meatballs and sauce can be refrigerated for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 2 months.
The Rats
THE GARBAGE AT NICHOLAS’S GREEK RESTAURANT
There was this Greek restaurant in our old neighborhood—so good.
The place was called Nicholas’s. That’s where I met you—where I met John. In a trash can that was like, full of food.
I want Nicholas’s!
Remember that great thing they were always throwing out—that, what was that? Shrimp saganaki?
I want shrimp saganaki!
Our new neighborhood—don’t get me wrong. Our new neighborhood is great. Plenty of discarded burritos, old vegetables.… We’re happy with the move. But nothing will ever compare to Nicholas’s.
Nothing.
SERVES 4 TO 6¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced
Crushed red pepper flakes
1½ pounds ripe plum tomatoes, peeled and coarsely chopped with seeds
1½ pounds cleaned and deveined medium shrimp
½ cup (about 3 ounces) pitted kalamata olives, coarsely chopped
Kosher salt
¼ cup chopped fresh dill
6 ounces Greek feta, crumbled
Crusty bread, for serving
1 In a large skillet, heat the oil over high heat until shimmering. Add the onion and red pepper flakes and cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes.
2 Add the tomatoes and cook until softened, crushing with the back of a wooden spoon, about 5 minutes longer.
3 Add the shrimp and olives and season with salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the shrimp are curled and cooked through, about 3 minutes.
4 Stir in half the dill and half the feta and cook just until the cheese is heated through, about 1 minute.
5 Transfer to plates, sprinkle with the remaining dill and feta, and serve with crusty bread.
SMOKEY BACON PIZZA BIANCA WITH WILD GREENS
Gutterpunks
We don’t spend more than a dollar on our own food, but we like to take good care of our dog. It turns out that dogs love pizza. This Smokey Bacon Pizza Bianca with Wild Greens is our guy’s favorite. It costs a lot of dollars for a pie because it’s artisanal … but this is how our dog chooses to spend his cut of the money we earn. It’s his money. He can do what he wants with it.
TOTAL: 2 HOURS MAKES 2 LARGE PIZZAS1 teaspoon active dry yeast
Pinch of sugar
¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons warm water (90°F)
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for kneading
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Oil for the bowl
4 ounces thick-cut bacon, cut into ½-inch pieces
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 large garlic clove, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons dry vermouth
½ cup heavy cream
1 sprig of fresh thyme
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
4 ounces shredded fontina
4 ounces wild greens, such as arugula, watercress (thick stems discarded), nettles, or purslane (thick stems discarded)
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
½ cup shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano
Olive oil
1 Make the dough: In a large bowl, combine the yeast and sugar. Add the 2 tablespoons of warm water and let sit until the yeast is foamy, about 3 minutes. Add the remaining ¾ cup of water and the flour and salt and stir until a soft dough forms. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth, adding more flour as necessary.
2 Lightly oil the bowl and return the dough to it. Cover the bowl and let the dough sit in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour, or refrigerate overnight. Punch down the dough in the bowl, transfer to a cutting board dusted with flour, and cut the dough into 2 equal pieces. Cover with a piece of oiled plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes.
3 Set a pizza stone in the upper third of the oven and preheat the oven to 500°F, allowing at least 30 minutes for the stone to preheat.
4 Make the topping: In a large saucepan, cook the bacon over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a paper towel–lined plate and pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the fat from the pan.
5 Add the onion and garlic to the pan, cover, and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until browned and softened, about 5 minutes.
6 Add the vermouth and cook uncovered, until the vermouth has evaporated. Add the cream and thyme and simmer, uncovered, until the liquid is very thick and the mixture is reduced to ¾ cup, about 5 minutes. Discard the thyme and season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the parsley.
7 Working with 1 ball of dough at a time, press or roll it out to a 12-inch circle on a floured surface. Slide it onto a lightly floured pizza peel or an inverted baking sheet. Spoon the cream mixture on top, followed by the fontina cheese and bacon. Slide the pizza onto the stone and bake until browned and blistered in spots, 6 to 8 minutes.
8 Meanwhile, in a large bowl, toss the greens with the lemon juice and olive oil, and season with salt and pepper to taste. When the first pizza comes out of the oven, mound half the dressed greens on the pizza and garnish with the shaved Parmesan. Cut into wedges and serve right away while the second pizza is cooking.
9 Mound the remaining half of the dressed greens on top of the second pizza when it is done baking, cut into wedges, and serve.
Make ahead: The dough can be refrigerated for up to 3 days; in fact, it takes on a slightly sourdough-like flavor and chewy texture. Return to room temperature before punching down and dividing. The creamy onion topping can also be refrigerated for up to 3 days.
ADULT BABYSITTER
Hey, it’s Doug. My babysitter Ellen doesn’t let me play drums after 9 p.m., which I personally don’t think is fair. 9 p.m.? Come on! Right? What am I, a child? I am a man. A full-grown man.
Even though my drum curfew is … absurdly outrageous … my babysitter can actually be pretty cool sometimes. Overall, I would say that I like her. She watches TV with me. All of the History Channel shows that Claire won’t watch … like Car Traders and Appalachian Bandits. And she makes me this macaroni and cheese that is, honestly: so, so, so, so, so, so, so good. So good. So, so good. It’s all I ever want to eat for the rest of my life. And I hope I live to be, like two hundred—that’s how much of this macaroni and cheese I want to eat.
TOTAL: 2 HOURS SERVES 63 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for the baking dish
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2½ cups half-and-half or milk
Pinch of freshly ground nutmeg
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound sharp cheddar, cut into ½-inch pieces
½ pound Colby-Jack cheese, cut into ½-inch pieces
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Pinch of smoked paprika
1 pound elbow macaroni
¼ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1 Preheat the oven to 350°F and generously butter a 2-quart shallow baking dish.
2 In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. When the foam subsides, add the flour and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes.
3 Add the half-and-half, whisking, and cook until thickened, about 3 minutes. Add the nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste.
4 Add half of the cheddar and half of the Colby-Jack and cook over low heat, stirring, until the cheese is melted. Off the heat, stir in the mustard and paprika.
5 Meanwhile, cook the pasta in salted boiling water until al dente. Drain well, shaking out any excess water. Return the pasta to the pot along with the cheese sauce and the remaining cheese; stir until evenly combined.
6 Pour the mixture into the prepared dish in an even layer. Sprinkle the Parmesan over the macaroni and bake for 45 minutes, or until bubbling and golden.
7 Let rest for 15 minutes before serving.
Make ahead: The unbaked mac and cheese can be refrigerated overnight. Return to room temperature before baking.
