Culture Magazine

C O O K I N G W I T H C H E E S E 202 3 culturecheesemag.com 33 SMOKED CHEDDAR MAC AND CHEESE WITH BBQ PULLED PORK Written by Cassy Vires This is a great way to use up leftover pulled pork. Traditional smoked barbecue pork works best, but carnitas or pork roast are great, too. Serves 8 1 pound dried elbow macaroni 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 2 cups whole milk Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste 2 pounds smoked cheddar, grated, divided 1 teaspoon hot sauce (try Frank's Red Hot) ½ teaspoon ground mustard ½ teaspoon garlic powder 8 ounces fontina, grated 2 cups pulled pork 1 cup panko breadcrumbs Barbecue sauce, for serving Heat oven to 400°F. Grease a 9-inch-by- 13-inch baking dish. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook macaroni for 2 minutes less than package directions. Drain and transfer cooked pasta to a large mixing bowl. Toss with 2 tablespoons butter until pasta is coated. Set aside. Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and cook, whisking constantly, until a light golden paste forms. Whisk in milk, season with salt and pepper, and cook, whisking, until mixture is very thick and no floury taste remains, about 8 to 10 minutes. Reduce heat to low and stir in three-quarters of smoked cheddar until smooth. Stir in hot sauce, ground mustard, and garlic powder. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Pour cheese sauce over cooked pasta and stir to combine. Cool for 10 minutes. Stir in fontina and pulled pork and mix well. Pour mixture into prepared baking dish and top with panko and remaining smoked cheddar. Bake until browned and bubbling, about 45 minutes. Drizzle with barbecue sauce and serve. BRAISED BEEF SHORT RIBS WITH MANCHEGO GRITS Written and styled by Molly Shuster Photographed by Lauren Volo The ribs' flavor will improve the longer they sit in their braising liquid, making this a good do-ahead dish (up to 4 to 5 days in advance). Just reheat the ribs and make the grits when ready to serve. Serves 4 RIBS: 3 dried ancho chilies ½ cup raisins 2 teaspoons canola oil 4 meaty beef short ribs (about 3½ pounds total) 1½ teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste Freshly ground black pepper, to taste 2 cloves garlic, chopped 1 medium white onion, chopped 2 cups chicken stock 2 chipotle chilies, seeds removed, plus 2 tablespoons adobo sauce from 1 can chipotles in adobo ¹⁄ ³ cup light brown sugar 1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes 2 bay leaves 2 cinnamon sticks MANCHEGO GRITS: 2 cups whole milk 1½ cups stone-ground grits 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 cup grated Manchego Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste RIBS: Heat oven to 325°F. Place ancho chilies and raisins in two separate small bowls. Cover both with hot water and let stand 20 minutes, or until softened. Drain, discarding liquid. Remove seeds and stems from chilies. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Pat short ribs dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Sear until well browned on all sides, about 15 minutes total. While ribs are searing, prepare the braising sauce. Place garlic, onion, chicken stock, chipotle chilies, adobo sauce, and brown sugar in a food processor or blender, along with soaked ancho chilies and raisins. Blend until sauce is mostly smooth (it should retain some texture). Stir in large pinches of salt and pepper; taste and adjust seasoning as necessary. After short ribs have browned, transfer to a plate. Discard excess fat in pan. Add braising sauce, canned tomatoes, bay leaves, and cinnamon sticks. Simmer for 5 minutes. Return ribs to the pot, bring back to a simmer, cover, and place in the oven. Cook until ribs are tender and can be pulled apart with a fork, about 2½ to 3 hours total. Remove from oven, spoon fat from the surface and discard. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. When cool enough to handle, shred meat with a fork and discard the bones. GRITS: About 30 minutes before serving, bring 3 cups water and milk to a boil in large saucepan. Whisk in grits. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until grits have thickened and fully absorbed the liquid, about 30 minutes. Add a little extra milk or water to thin if desired. Stir in butter and Manchego. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve braised short ribs over bowls of hot grits. Braised Beef Short Ribs with Manchego Grits

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