Fleming's Prime Steakhouse Chipotle Cheddar Macaroni and Cheese

I don't know how many mac and cheese recipes I've tried.  A lot.  My mac and cheese needs to be nice and creamy.  And of course cheesy.  It can't be dry and crunchy - nothing worse than crunchy pasta in mac and cheese from baking it too long - and of course the leftovers have to continue to be creamy and not disgustingly dried out.  A tall order, but mac and cheese has to be just right.

This recipe fits the bill perfectly.  Deliciously cheesy.  Perfectly creamy, even the next day, and with a slightly smoky crunch from the chipotle chili powder and panko crumbs on top.  Absolutely delicious. 

I found this wonderful recipe over at Meemo's Kitchen. This is a great blog with lots of copycat AND authentic restaurant recipes. I believe this is an authentic recipe and not a copycat.  It's from Fleming's Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar.  I actually had to google this restaurant as I had never heard of it.  They seem to be all over the States but none here in Canada. 

This makes a big 13 x 9 dish of mac and cheese so it's great for a crowd.  A perfect side dish for just about anything.  Apparently even steak!

Enjoy!

Fleming's Prime Steakhouse Chipotle Cheddar Macaroni and Cheese
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1 lb. pasta (curly or cavatappi)
2 tsp. salt
1 T vegetable oil
3/4 cup onion, diced
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
3 T flour
2 cups heavy cream
3 cups half-and-half
2 tsp. Kosher salt
1 tsp. ground white pepper
3/4 lb. smoked cheddar cheese, grated
1/4 lb. cheddar cheese, grated
1 T vegetable oil
1 tsp. dried chipotle chili powder
3/4 cup panko crumbs

Preheat oven to 350F.  In a large pot, bring 1 gallon of water to a boil and add 2 tsp. salt.  Add pasta and cook for 8-9 minutes.  Drain pasta and cool under running water.  Pasta should be slightly firm.  Toss drained pasta in oil and set aside.

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.  Add diced onions and saute for 4-5 minutes.  Add flour and cook for 1-2 minutes but do NOT brown.  Add cream, half-and-half, salt and white pepper, and bring pot to a simmer.  Cook until sauce is thick, about 5-6 minutes.  Add both cheeses and blend into sauce.  Stir in cooked pasta and place into a 12 x 9 baking dish.  (I used a 13 x 9).

In a saute pan over medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon of oil and chipotle chili powder.  Heat for 30 seconds until pan starts to smoke.  Remove from heat and quickly stir in bread crumbs.  Sprinkle crumbs over the pasta and bake in a 350 oven for 15-20 minutes until slightly golden brown and crisp.  Cool slightly before serving.

Makes one 13 x 9 pan.

Source:  Meemo's Kitchen