7.4 Non-meat and -fish

7.4.1 Macaroni and cheese

This is an old classic of mine, one that I developed in the 1970’s. As I noted earlier, it was derived from a recipe for cheese sauce in The Joy of Cooking; I have changed the cheese mix, livened up the spicing, and incorporated use of my microwave oven into the preparation.

Ingredients

3 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp flour
1 cup whole milk
1/2 tbsp dry mustard
1/2 tbsp hot paprika
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
6-8 oz pasta (penné, rigatoni or ziti work well)

  1. In a glass casserole with a cover, melt the butter in the microwave (about 1 minute on high).
  2. Add the flour to the melted butter and stir briskly with a fork to make an lump-free slurry
  3. Slowly add the milk, stirring initially with a fork and then with a spoon. Again, you want to end up with a lump-free mix.
  4. Sprinkle the three spices on the mixture and mix in.
  5. Microwave the mixture, covered, on medium, for about two minutes.
  6. Remove and stir. Your goal is to have the mixture thicken to the consistency of a thick gravy. If it has not thickened, return it to the medium microwave for 1-2 minutes more.
  7. Add the cheese and microwave on medium for another two minutes. Stir and repeat. Now all of the cheese should be melted and you should have a nice alfredo-style sauce. If it is two thick, stir in a little more milk and microwave briefly.
  8. At some point, cook the pasta al denté with a little olive oil added. Drain, combine with the cheese sauce and serve.

Note that this recipe is one that does not reheat well. You can try if you want to, but I generally eat it all or discard any leftovers. It goes very well with pilsner.

7.4.2 Rice Pilaf

I am a huge fan of rice, and while it is great plain, sometimes it’s good to add some flavor. This recipe is simple and yet tasty. Note that I have scaled down the rice and broth by two thirds. In addition, I prepare it in a slow cooker, but it could be done equally well on the stove top (and Instant Pot® instructions are provided).

Ingredients

1.5 tbps butter
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tbsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 cup long grain white rice (I use basmati)
2 cups chicken broth
fresh parsley or cilantro

  1. Strain rice and rinse well. Drain thoroughly.
  2. Set your slow cooker to sauté, melt the butter, and sauté the rice until golden.
  3. Add onion, garlic, salt and pepper and cook until onion has softened.
  4. Add the broth and put slow cooker on rice setting.* Cook, covered, until completion.
  5. Remove lid, fluff with fork, and stir in cilantro or parsley.

* If cooking on a stove top, bring to boil and then cover and reduce heat. Simmer for 15-18 minutes.

For more flavor, consider adding other vegetables, such as raisins, peas, dried apricots, diced carrots, or chopped peppers.

7.4.3 Creole (Yellow) Rice

One of the joys of the 26 years I spent in Florida was the availability of Tampa Cuban food. It’s a unique cuisine - originating around the beginning of the 20th century, it is based on Cuban approaches (as you would find in Miami or Havana) with Italian influences, resulting from the confluence of the two immigrant cultures in the cigar industry of the time. The basics of this cuisine are contained in the cookbook Clarita’s Cocina, which I purchased years ago. This is one recipe that is relatively simple to prepare. I have modified it a little bit and have taken the liberty of adapting it to preparation in a rice cooker. In addition, this is half of the recipe as originally published.

Ingredients

1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
1.2 tsp salt (optional)
1/2 tsp white pepper
2 ripe roma tomatoes, chopped
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 scup long grain rice (I use Basmati)
Pinch of toasted saffron (expensive but necessary)
1 cup chicken broth
1/8 cup beer (or additional chicken broth)

  1. Heat butter and olive oil in slow cooker set to sauté
  2. Add onion and cook until transparent (6-8 minutes)
  3. Add salt, white pepper, tomatoes and lemon juice. Cook on low heat until mushy.
  4. Add the rice and cook for ~10 minutes, until golden.
  5. Add chicken broth and saffron, and bring to a boil.
  6. Change slow cooker setting to rice, cover, and cook until done.
  7. Add beer, recover, and let stand for 15 minutes.