Mac & Cheese Shepherd’s Pie

As the snow falls and the need for comfort grows, think about this.
1/4 lb bacon, diced
12 oz fresh button mushrooms, sliced

1 lb ground beef
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp herbes de Provence or Italian herbs
1 Tbsp tomato paste
4-oz can green chills, or 1 fresh jalapeño, diced (optional)

1-1/12 cups crushed tomatoes (or tomato sauce)
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1/2 lb elbow macaroni

Bechamel white sauce:
3 Tbsp butter
1/4 cup flour
2 cups milk
1/2 tsp dill weed
freshly grated nutmeg, about 1/4 tsp

1/4 lb cheddar cheese, cubed

topping:
1 Tbsp butter and 1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup panko crumbs
1/4 lb cheddar cheese, grated
2 Tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated

Brown the bacon in a large skillet until well browned. Remove with a slotted spoon to a small bowl. Turn the heat up high and add the mushrooms to the skillet, Allow them to sizzle and cook off as much water as they will. Allow them to brown a bit more and then set them aside with the bacon.

Now add a dash of olive oil to the skillet and set the heat to high. Add the ground beef and brown well, shaking pan often. After the beef begins to brown well, add the onions and cook about 10 minutes to soften and caramelize a bit. Add the garlic (and jalapeño if using), and cook another 2-3 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a few quarts water to a boil in a pot for the pasta. Season generously with salt - to taste like the sea. Cook the macaroni until just past al dente. When cooked, drain well and keep warm.

Add the tomato paste to the ground beef and cook for another 3-4 minutes, to deepen its color and flavor. Now add the green chills, tomatoes and Worcestershire sauce.

Preheat oven to 400F. While the beef is browning, get the Bechamel sauce going. Melt the butter in a saucepan and fry the flour in it for about 5 minutes, whisking constantly. Add the milk and bring to a boil, whisking often. Add the dill and nutmeg and reduce to a simmer as the sauce thickens. Cover and remove from heat.

Tip meat mixture into an oiled 9x13-inch casserole, and spread evenly. Drain the macaroni and toss into a large bowl and toss gently with the Bechamel sauce and the cubed cheese. Tip the macaroni mixture on top of the beef in the casserole. The sauce should be moist and creamy and not too thick. Thin with some milk if necessary.

Melt the butter in the oil in a small bowl in the microwave. Mix together the panko with the cheeses in a small bowl, working mixture together with your fingers. Sprinkle mixture on top of macaroni and pop casserole into oven.

Bake for 15-20 minutes. If desired, turn oven broiler on and brown top, watching carefully until topping is just browned.

Serves 6.