French Onion Mac and Cheese
Directions
- 1Thin slice about 5 to 6 Spanish onions.
- 2In a heavy bottom pot over low heat, add a couple tablespoons of olive oil, followed by all of your sliced onions.
- 3Stir the onions every few minutes until they are caramelized, which will take about 45 minutes to an hour.
- 4After about 10 minutes, use the sliced onions to scrub up any sugars and onion bits that stick to the bottom of your pot (fond).
- 5If the fond can no longer be scrubbed with onions, add about a tablespoon or two of water to dissolve and pick up the brown bits, repeating as necessary.
- 6In a pot of boiling salted water, add about a pound of your favorite pasta and cook for maybe three to four minutes, as it will finish cooking in the oven.
- 7Once onions are caramelized, add about 5 to 6 minced garlic cloves, followed by the leaves from a few sprigs of thyme.
- 8Stir in the garlic and thyme, then immediately add a quarter cup of balsamic vinegar.
- 9Reduce the vinegar for a couple of minutes until it smells sweet.
- 10Strain the pasta.
- 11Add about two cups of heavy cream, a pinch of black pepper, and one quart of beef stock or bone broth to the onion mixture.
- 12Add a pinch of kosher salt and let this come to a simmer, then remove from heat.
- 13Grate about 8 ounces of Swiss cheese and about 8 to 10 ounces of parmesan cheese.
- 14Add about two cups of panko breadcrumbs to a separate bowl and about a third of the grated cheese to the breadcrumbs.
- 15To the rest of the cheese, add the French onion sauce and the barely cooked pasta.
- 16Mix everything together and transfer into a deep 9x13 pan.
- 17Top generously with the cheesy breadcrumbs.
- 18Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for about 15 to 20 minutes or until the breadcrumbs are nice and toasty.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 5 -6 Spanish onions, thin sliced
- 5 -6 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 -3 sprigs thyme, leaves removed
- 0.25 cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 qt beef stock or bone broth
- 1 pinch black pepper
- 1 pinch kosher salt
- 1 lb your favorite pasta
- 8 oz Swiss cheese
- 8 -10 oz parmesan cheese
- 2 cups panko breadcrumbs
Equipment
heavy bottom potwooden spoonbamboo spoongraterdeep 9x13 pan
Tips
- Use a wooden or bamboo spoon to scrub up the fond from the bottom of the pot.
- Use a tablespoon or two of water to deglaze the pot and dissolve the fond when it can no longer be scrubbed up by the onions.
- When grating cheese close to the grater, switch to the palm of your hand for safety.
- Don't throw away parmesan rind; steep it into marinara sauce or soups.
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