Spicy Chipotle Mac and Cheese

Notes:
If you don’t have a shallot you can always use an onion.
Fromager d’affinois is a specialty item. I buy mine at Whole Foods. It’s $15.99/lb. You should buy at least a 0.4 lb.
You can probably find chipotle peppers in adobo at your local grocery store, Whole Foods or a Mexican grocery store.

1. Preheat the oven to 400ºF (200ºC).
2. Boil water in a large pot. Once it comes to a boil, add a generous amount of salt. Add the elbow pasta. Cook it just under the recommended time given on the pasta box. (For instance, mine says 5-8 minutes; therefore I cooked it for 5 minutes.) It will cook further in the oven. Drain and set aside in a strainer.
3. Heat 1 teaspoon olive or any cooking oil in a small pan. Sauté the shallots until they are translucent. Set aside.
4. In a food processor, briefly pulse bread slices to make bread crumbs. You will need ½ cup. Coat the breadcrumbs with ½ teaspoon oil so that they become golden brown when we bake it.
5. In a medium pan at medium heat, add the butter. Once it melts, add the flour, mustard powder, and nutmeg; constantly mix using a whisk, about 2-3 minutes, until small bubbles start to form.
6. Combine the milk and heavy cream in a measuring cup. Gradually add it to the pan, whisking constantly. Do not add it too fast or all at once because it will form lumps. Once it is all combined, slightly turn the heat up. Take it off the heat once you see bubbles forming.
7. Add 100 grams (3.6 ounces) of Fromager d’affinois. Combine using a wooden spoon or plastic spatula. Once it is all combined, add Parmesan, salt and pepper; mix well.
8. Add the sautéed shallots and the chopped chipotle pepper and adobo sauce.
9. Add the pasta and mix it all together. Taste and make sure the seasoning is to your liking. If you like it spicy, you can always add more chipotle peppers.
10. Place in a baking pan. Top off with the reserved 70 grams (2 1/2 ounces) Fromager d’affinois and breadcrumbs. Bake uncovered for 15-18 minutes.
11. Once it comes out of the oven, top it off with chopped parsley and green onions.

For alternate measuring units for the ingredients please visit the related blog post.