Mac Cheese Grilled Cheese Recipes

ROBIN KOURY'S GRILLED MAC-N-CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat grill to 350 degrees F.
• Quarter red and green pepper, then place them on the grill, cooking until tender. Once grill marks are formed, remove peppers from grill and set aside. Boil elbow macaroni in salted boiling water until al dente - drain and set aside. In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt butter and then whisk in flour to thicken, about 1 minute. Add 1 cup milk and whisk in. Begin adding cheeses 1 at a time, thoroughly whisking each cheese. If sauce becomes too thick, add remaining cup of milk. Once all cheeses are blended add salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, grilled peppers, jalapeno pepper and stir to combine. Add elbows to mixture and stir again. Once combined well, add to a cast iron 9 by 13-inch rectangle casserole dish, and sprinkle top with bread crumbs and an additional 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper. Place on grill for 12 minutes. Let stand a few minutes before serving.

BLACK TRUFFLE MAC AND CHEESE (HANGOVER GRILLED CHEESE)

Steps:

• For the mac and cheese: Heat the truffle oil in a large pot over low heat. Add the shallots and thyme and cook until the shallots are golden. Add the garlic and continue cooking until golden. Add the vegetable base and stir. Add the wine and cook until reduced, 10 to 15 minutes. Add the flour slowly, stirring, until a thick paste forms. Add the cream and simmer, stirring frequently, until thickened, 10 to 15 minutes. Add the mixed cheese (except for the Parmesan and Cheddar) slowly while stirring. Once all the cheese is in, you will begin to see a nice sauce come to life. Continue to cook, stirring, about 15 minutes. Add the Parmesan at the very end. This cheese is like glue; it holds the sauce and the pasta together.
• While the cheese sauce simmers, bring a large pot of water with 1/4 cup salt to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain and add a touch of olive oil to keep the pasta from sticking. The pasta is now ready to soak up the cheese sauce. Return the pasta to the pot and stir in the cheese sauce.
• For the sandwich: Preheat a flattop to 350 degrees F.
• Place the Cheddar slices and lobster if using in between the bread slices and close the sandwich. Ladle some clarified butter onto the flattop. Place the sandwich on the flattop and cook until the bread is golden and crisp and the cheese is melted. Flip and cook until golden on the other side. Open the bread and stuff with a heaping serving spoon of the mac and cheese. Close the sandwich, cut and serve.

GRILLED MAC AND CHEESE WITH PULLED PORK

Steps:

• Put 6 tablespoons butter and the mayonnaise in the bowl of a stand mixer; beat with the paddle attachment until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Set aside.
• Spread the macaroni and cheese in an 8-inch-square baking dish to about 3/4 inch thick. Cover with plastic wrap and chill until firm, about 45 minutes. Cut the macaroni and cheese into squares that are slightly smaller than the bread slices.
• Meanwhile, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring, until caramelized, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
• Combine the barbecue sauce and pulled pork in a saucepan over low heat and cook until warmed through, about 5 minutes.
• Generously spread the butter-mayonnaise mixture on one side of each bread slice. Flip over half of the bread slices; layer 1 slice of cheddar, 1 macaroni-and-cheese square and another slice of cheddar on each. Top each with one-quarter of the pulled pork and caramelized onions and another slice of cheddar. Top with the remaining bread slices, buttered-side up.
• Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium-low heat. Working in batches, cook the sandwiches until the cheese melts and the bread is golden, about 5 minutes per side.

GRILLED MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook elbow macaroni in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Drain and set aside.
• Set up an outdoor grill for indirect cooking over medium heat. For charcoal, use coals on one side of the grill. For gas, shut off one side of the grill.
• Place an 8-quart cast iron Dutch oven over the hot side of the grill. Add bacon; cook and stir until it renders its fat, but doesn't crisp up, 5 to 7 minutes. Add onions and garlic; move the Dutch oven so only about half of the pot is over the heat. Cook and stir until onions start to become translucent, about 5 minutes. Pour in milk and cook until hot, but not simmering. Melt in cream cheese.
• Stir in about a handful of Cheddar cheese at a time until 3 cups have been melted into the mixture. Move the Dutch oven to the cooler side of the grill. Stir in cooked macaroni. Crumble the cheese crackers over the top. Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup Cheddar cheese.
• Close the lid of the grill and let cook until bubbly and reduced, about 40 minutes, rotating the Dutch oven every 5 minutes or so to keep from burning. Remove from heat and serve.

GRILLED PIMENTO MAC N CHEESE

Steps:

• In a food processor, blend together the garlic, paprika, hot sauce, cayenne, 1 teaspoon salt and some black pepper. Then add the mayonnaise, Cheddar and smoked Cheddar, and pulse until combined. Put the mixture in a bowl and fold in the cooked pasta and the roasted red bell pepper. Season with additional salt and pepper.
• To assemble the sandwich, heat a nonstick griddle to about 300 degrees F or medium-high. Butter the bread generously and spread about 1/4 cup of the mac n cheese mix on the non-buttered side of the bread. Then add the sliced tomato, bacon and mild Cheddar, and top with another slice of bread. Grill on both sides until golden brown. Repeat with the remaining ingredients to make 3 more sandwiches.

MAC 'N CHEESE WITH GRILLED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Prepare the macaroni and cheese base by bringing a large pot of salted water to boil; add the pasta and cook until al dente, according to package directions, about 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat a medium saucepan, over medium high heat, and saute shallots, in the olive oil, until they just begin to color; stir in heavy cream, reduce heat to a simmer, and cook until reduced by half, about 8 to 10 minutes.
• Whisk in cheese until melted; stir in drained pasta.
• Remove from heat and keep warm.
• Drizzle the olive oil over the chicken and season with salt and pepper; sprinkle with parsley and rosemary.
• Grill chicken, over medium heat, to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F; remove from heat, cover, and keep warm.
• In a medium sized skillet, over medium high heat, cook pancetta until crisp, about 5 to 7 minutes; remove pancetta with a slotted spoon and set aside (leave fat in pan).
• Sprinkle the bread crumbs into the pan and stir, until toasted, about 1 minute; remove from heat and drain bread crumbs on paper toweling.
• Heat the macaroni base, over medium heat, until hot, stirring frequently.
• Meanwhile, slice the chicken into strips; stir the chicken into the macaroni base, then stir in the pancetta, chopped parsley and white truffle oil; toss to coat.
• Divide mac 'n cheese among 4 serving bowls, top with bread crumbs, and serve.