Baked Mac 'N Cheese with Caramelized Onions and Duck Sausage

Name: Baked Mac 'N Cheese with Caramelized Onions and Duck Sausage
Prep time: P0Y0M0DT0H15M0.000S
Cook time: P0Y0M0DT1H0M0.000S
Total time: P0Y0M0DT1H15M0.000S
Yield: 4 Servings
Ingredients: 1 pound or 500 g rotini pasta; 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil; 4 red onions, sliced 1/4-inch thick; Pinch sea salt; 1 cup cured duck sausage, diced; 1 cup milk; 1 cup half-and-half; Freshly ground black pepper; 1 cup brie cheese, rind removed; 1 cup grated 5-year old Cheddar cheese; 1/2 cup grated Friulano or Fontina cheese; 1 bay leaf; 1/4 cup panko (Japanese) bread crumbs; 1 tablespoon melted butter; Pinch sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

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Level: Easy
Total: 1 hr 15 min

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 1 hr

Yield: 4 Servings

Level: Easy
Total: 1 hr 15 min

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 1 hr

Yield: 4 Servings

Ingredients

1 pound or 500 g rotini pasta

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

4 red onions, sliced 1/4-inch thick

Pinch sea salt

1 cup cured duck sausage, diced

1 cup milk

1 cup half-and-half

Freshly ground black pepper

1 cup brie cheese, rind removed

1 cup grated 5-year old Cheddar cheese

1/2 cup grated Friulano or Fontina cheese

1 bay leaf

1/4 cup panko (Japanese) bread crumbs

1 tablespoon melted butter

Pinch sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Parboil the rotini pasta in boiling salted water for 8 minutes, and strain.
Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium heat, add the sliced onions and a pinch of sea salt to the pan and saute for 8 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and saute for another 35 minutes, or until caramelized.
Render the sausage in a dry pan over medium heat for 10 minutes, until crispy bits form. Add milk, half-and- half, caramelized onions, sea salt, and ground pepper and bring to a boil. The second the mixture starts to boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, add the Cheddar cheese, Friulano cheese, and bay leaf and stir until the cheese is melted, about 5 minutes.
In a bowl, mix the cooked rotini pasta with the cheese sauce and transfer into a baking dish. Top with the panko bread crumbs, drizzle with melted butter and broil for a few minutes, or until the panko is golden brown and the edges crisp up.