Blood Orange Mac and Cheese!!!!!

[themonkeytree]

I love to make Mac and Cheese and have made a lot of different variations, but I have never used any citrus fruit in any of the recipes. I have three blood orange trees and I want to use some of the blood oranges to make a mac and cheese. The only thing is I am not sure if it will taste good or what ingredients should go in. I have some of the ingredients already picked out, but I would love some ideas on what I should add. I have no idea if blood orange and mac and cheese mix but I figure the worst that can happen is it tastes bad.

Here are the list of ingredients I have so far and the steps.

Pancetta
Humbolt Fog (a strong flavored goat cheese, which I think will stand up well to the blood orange)
Formage d'affannois (a creamy pungent french cheese, that should also go well)
heave cream
butter
onions
nutmeg
crushed red pepper
flour
salt
pepper
garlic
parsley (not sure about this maybe to finish as a garnish)
blood orange (juice and zest)
Parmigiano Reggiano (what does this cheese not go good with?)
elbow shaped pasta

I am going to saute the pancetta until it is crispy. Take out the crispy pancetta and save to add back in later. Add chopped onions and saute for a couple of minutes then add the butter, garlic and flour and whisk to form the roux. Once the flour has cooked I will add the heave cream and the three cheeses simmer until they melt. I will then add some nutmeg, freshly grated of course, and the blood orange juice and zest. salt and pepper to taste and toss with aldente cooked pasta.

Here is the part I am stuck on. One I don't know how blood orange will even taste in this. Secondly one of my friends said I should reduce the blood orange juice first. He also said I should mix the cooked pasta and the cream sauce together and then drizzle the blood orange reduction on as a garnish or finishing sauce or whatever you want to call it. I don't know if I should just add the juice and zest in to the sauce and incorporate it all as one or if I should reduce the blood orange juice and finish the dish with it. Please tell me your thoughts and ideas.

 

[Hoot]

It sounds very interesting!! There is a lot going on there. I imagine it would be quite good either way you handle the blood oranges. Why not make a small batch of each and let us know what you think. Sadly, blood oranges are scarce in this neck of the woods. If I ever run across any I will have to try to make this. Good Luck

 

[themonkeytree]

I am going to make it right now. I will let you know how it turns out when I am done. Do you think the parsley is needed as a finishing touch and garnish or too much?

 

[Hoot]

I reckon a little parsley never hurt anything....why not?

 

[themonkeytree]

YUM YUM YUM it is so delicious. So I tasted the delicious cheese sauce before I added the blood orange juice and it was rich and creamy and would have been a great cheese sauce for pasta, but then I added the blood orange juice, about a cup. I did not want to go over board on the blood orange juice. It cut the richness of the sauce and gave that mild taste of blood orange. It is so good. Also the parsley does work. As you are right when does a little parsley ever hurt anything.

One suggestion is to make more pancetta than you think you are going to need as garnish, it is a delicious snacks as you cook lol.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Sounds good, I would have been tempted to try the blood orange juice with the main cheese before cooking up a whole batch.

 

[Hoot]

Well i reckon I will have to keep an eye out for blood oranges. Maybe next time we go to Norfolk, I will see if I can find some. Thanks for the idea!!!

 

[Mariahpoo]

Sound very interesting I will have to try this one sometime.