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Macaroni and Gruyere Cheese
Ingredients
  • 1 pound elbow macaroni
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground white paper to taste
  • 12 T. unsalted butter
  • 1 C.flour
  • 1 medium yellow onion 1/2 minced, 1/2 whole
  • 6 whole cloves
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 8 C. whole milk
  • 1 lb. Gruyere grated (I used Gruyere and a tiny bit of aged cheddar)
  • 1 T. freshly-grated nutmeg
  • 1/4 C. bread crumbs or cubes
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
  2. Boil macaroni in a large pan of salted boiling water until it is al dente.This should take about 8 minutes. Drain macaroni and transfer to a bowl. Stir in 2 T. butter, set aside.
  3. Add the remaining butter to a large pan and melt over medium heat. Saute the minced onion in the butter until it is golden. This should take 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in the flour and cook for 3 minutes. Stick the cloves into the onion half and add to the pan along with the two bay leaves. Whisk milk into the flour/butter mixture and bring to a boil. Once the milk begins to boil, reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture has thickened. This should take 5 to 7 minutes. Remove the sauce from the heat once it has thickened and strain it through a fine-mesh sieve over the macaroni. Stir in 3/4 of the cheese, the nutmeg, and the salt and pepper.
  4. Transfer macaroni and cheese to a large baking dish (9 inch by 13 inch). Top with remaining cheese and the bread cubes.
  5. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes.The bread cubes should be golden brown and the macaroni and cheese mixture should be bubbly when your dish is done.
  6. Remove macaroni and cheese from the oven and let it sit on your counter for a few minutes before serving. This will allow the dish to solidity a bit.
  7. This recipe serves 8 to 10 persons. it can easily be halved .