We’re knee-deep in Macaroni and Cheese Week, our recipe developers’ favorite week of the year. Boston chef Richard Chudy sent over this inspired recipe, teeming with our favorite Southern accents and, of course, tons of cheese. If you’ve ever wondered what to do with cornbread (besides slather it with butter), you’re going to like this crispy, creamy, smoky dish. You might want to fry a batch of chicken before your hands start shaking from excitement.
For a spin on the venerable macaroni and cheese, we hitch a ride down South and accent our pasta with slow-cooked collard greens, spicy andouille sausage and the holy trinity of onion, celery and green bell pepper. Oh, and a sprinkling of crumbled cornbread really puts this one over the top. We think you’ll love it too.
Ingredients
Collards
- 2 fresh Andouille sausages, removed from casings (or substitute other fresh sausage of your choice)
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 bunch collard greens, rinsed, thick stems cut off and the leaves chopped into large chunks
- 1/2 cup chicken or vegetable stock, or water
- kosher salt, to taste
Béchamel And Pasta
- 2 fresh Andouille sausages, removed from casings (or substitute other fresh sausage of your choice)
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 1 stalk celery, diced
- 1/2 cup flour
- 4 cups whole milk
- 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese (or other cheese of your choice), shredded
- kosher salt, to taste
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
- A few dashes of your favorite hot sauce, or to taste
- 2 boxes pasta or your choice
Breadcrumbs
- 1 small loaf prepared cornbread (store bought or your favorite recipe), broken up into small crumbles with your hands
Directions
For the collards:
- In a large pot over medium-low heat, add the sausage and cook until it has rendered all of its fat and is starting to brown, 7-10 minutes.
- Add the onion and stir to coat with the sausage and cook until the onion has begun to soften, 3-5 minutes.
- Add the collard greens and stir to coat with the onions and sausage.
- Add the stock and a pinch of salt and bring to a boil.
- Cover, reduce the heat to low and cook until the collards are tender, 30-45 minutes.
- Adjust seasoning with salt and drain if there is too much liquid. Can be prepared a day ahead of time; bring to room temperature before proceeding with the recipe.
For the béchamel and pasta:
- Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees.
- In a large pot over medium-low heat, add the sausage and cook until it has rendered all of its fat and is starting to brown, 7-10 minutes.
- Add the onion, pepper and celery and cook until the vegetables are just starting to soften, 5-7 minutes.
- Add the flour and reduce the heat to low, stirring to coat the vegetables and sausage for about a minute.
- While whisking constantly, slowing add the milk and bring to a gentle simmer.
- Cook until the béchamel has thickened, 5-7 minutes.
- Add the remaining ingredients except for the pasta and stir to incorporate.
- Adjusting seasoning with salt and more cayenne and/or hot sauce, if desired. Can be made a day ahead of time. Bring to room temperature before proceeding with recipe.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil and add a generous pinch of salt.
- Add the pasta and cook until the pasta is just slightly underdone (it will continue to cook in the oven) 6 or 7 minutes.
- Drain and set aside.
For assembly:
- When ready to eat, combine the cooked pasta, collards and béchamel in a large oven-safe baking dish.
- Place in the oven and bake until it is bubbly and warm, 7-10 minutes (or longer, if you made the components ahead of time).
- Remove from the oven and add the cornbread breadcrumbs to the top, spreading them into an even layer.
- Return the pan to the oven to toast the top and cook until it is golden brown, 3-5 minutes. Remove from the heat and serve.
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