Macaroni and Cheese

Rich, creamy and with plenty of melted cheese, this Macaroni and Cheese recipe is comfort food at its best. It comes to us from BBQ pitmaster Rodney Scott, from his cookbook “Rodney Scott’s World of BBQ” (Clarkson Potter). The secret ingredient is cream of chicken soup, which adds plenty of flavor to the casserole, and a good amount of black pepper to balance out the cream and cheese.

1/4 cup Diamond Crystal kosher salt

1 pound large elbow macaroni

1 10.75-ounce can condensed cream of chicken soup

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 cup whole milk

1 stick unsalted butter

1 pound sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

1 teaspoon table salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

In a large bowl, set up an ice bath with 4 cups of water and 4 cups of ice cubes. Set aside.

In a soup pot, combine 8 cups water and the Diamond Crystal kosher salt and bring to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook for 4 minutes. Drain the pasta in a colander, then pour it into the ice bath to “shock” it, stopping the cooking process. Drain well.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

In a small sauce pot, combine the condensed soup, cream, milk, and butter and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Whisk in 3 cups of the cheddar, reserving 1 cup for the topping. Season the mixture with the table salt and pepper and remove from the heat.

In a large bowl, combine the cheese sauce with the drained noodles and mix well. Transfer the noodle mixture to a 2-quart baking dish and top with the reserved cheddar. Transfer to the oven and bake for 20 minutes.

Allow the dish to cool slightly before serving.