Double-Dutch Mac and Cheese with Chard

Ingredients

• •6 tablespoons butter
• •1 cup onion
• •2 cloves garlic
• •¼ cup all purpose flour
• •3 cups reduced-fat milk
• •2½ cups Gouda cheese
• •2 cups Edam cheese
• •¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• •⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• •1½ pounds Swiss chard
• •12 ounces elbow macaroni
• •1 cup sourdough breadcrumbs
• •1 teaspoon cumin seeds

Cooking Instructions

1. 1.

   Melt 3 tablespoons butter in large pot over medium heat. Add onion; sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, then flour; stir constantly 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk. Cook, whisking occasionally, until mixture begins to boil, about 5 minutes. Add 2 cups coarsely grated Gouda and 1 cup Edam. Stir until cheeses melt, about 2 minutes. Stir in cayenne and nutmeg. Season sauce with salt and pepper.

   13 min

2. 2.

   Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 13x9x2- inch baking dish. Cook chard in large pot of boiling salted water until tender, about 1 minute. Using slotted spoon, transfer chard to plate; cool. Reserve pot with water. Squeeze water from chard; chop finely.

   5 min

3. 3.

   Return water in pot to boil. Add macaroni; cook until tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain. Stir macaroni into warm cheese sauce. Place half of macaroni in dish; smooth top. Top with 1 cup Edam cheese, then chard. Top with remaining macaroni mixture; spread evenly.

   15 min

4. 4.

   Melt 3 tablespoons butter. Place breadcrumbs in medium bowl. Drizzle butter over; toss. Add 1/2 cup finely grated Gouda and sprinkle with salt and pepper; toss. Sprinkle breadcrumb mixture over mac and cheese. Sprinkle cumin seeds over, if desired.

   5 min

5. 5.

   Bake mac and cheese until breadcrumbs are golden and edges are bubbling, about 40 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes.

   50 min