Chef Sean's Signature Recipes

Mac & Aged Cheddar with Muenster Cheese

Classic creamy baked Mac and cheese using aged cheddar and muenster, topped with herbed bread crumb. Muenster adds a beautiful cheesy stretch, while aged cheddar brings a boost of flavour.

Ingredients

Herbed Bread Crumbs

  • 1 cup bread crumbs (Panko works great)
  • 1/4 cup parsley
  • 1 tbsp rosemary coarsely chopped
  • 1 tbsp thyme
  • 2 tbsp chives coarsely chopped
  • 2 tsp garlic powder
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Mac and Cheese

  • 1 pound elbow macaroni
  • 5 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • One 12oz can evaporated whole milk
  • 1 tsp hot sauce, to taste
  • 1 tsp ground mustard
  • 8 oz Muenster cheese, cut into ½-inch cubes
  • 1 lb sharp cheddar cheese, grated
  • 2 large eggs

Directions

For Herbed Bread Crumbs

  1. Remove herbs from stems and roughly chop them.
  2. Add all ingredients to a food processor and pulse until herbs are finely chopped and incorporated into the bread crumbs.

For Mac and Cheese

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook pasta as per the packages directions, until it is a few minutes from being al dente. Strain and reserve.
  3. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until light golden blonde, about 2 minutes.
  4. Whisking constantly, slowly add the evaporated milk, followed by the whole milk. Whisk in the hot sauce and mustard and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, whisking occasionally to prevent scorching.
  5. Remove from heat, add the cheese all at once and whisk until fully melted and smooth. Season to taste with salt and more hot sauce if desired.
  6. Beat the eggs in a small bowl until homogeneous and frothy. Whisking constantly, pour in 1 cup of the cheese mixture, whisking until combined. Slowly pour the egg mixture into the cheese sauce, whisking constantly.
  7. Add the drained macaroni and stir to combine.Transfer the mixture to a buttered casserole dish.
  8. Top generously with breadcrumbs and cover tightly with foil.
  9. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake until the breadcrumbs are browned and the sauce is bubbling, about 10 minutes longer.
  10. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes, then serve.