Mac 'n' Cheese 'n' Ham

Friday 9 March
Had me an envie (as them Frenchies say) for a mustardy casserole. So mac 'n' cheese, possibly the most complicated simple dish in the American standard recipe collection: not complicated in terms of technique, it just dirties an unnecessary number of dishes and so is opposed to the true Fear and Loathing ethos. Still, the palate wants what it wants.

So while cooking 8 oz. of celantani, make a basic béchamel of 2 TBSP of butter, in which cook, but don't brown, 2 TBSP flour. Add, first in dribs then in drabs, about a cup of milk, whisking as it forms the paste and whisking even more as you add the rest of the liquid. (Yeah, it's probably better to heat it up and all that crap. Who's got time? And you dirty yet another dish. I just pour straight from the carton. Lumps are avoided by elbow work.)

The essence of a béchamel: thin (butter), then thick (flour), then thin (with milk, stock, etc.), then thick (with cooking), then thin (with whatever flavorings), then thick (with cheese, etc.).

Tossed in a scoop of our homemade mustard (coarse grain, à l'ancienne), a couple of oz. of goat cheese (for that yuppie touch), lots of finely cubed ham, even more lots of Colby/Monty Jack, then even more lots of the latter cheese on top. 20 minutes at the People's Temperature covered, 20 more uncovered, 5 minutes to settle. Gooey goodness.