Three straight dishes heavy on the cheese, but it wouldn’t be a saladcheese dish if there wasn’t cheese involved. This was my attempt at an homage to Mardi Gras—solid macaroni and cheese with andouille sausage and lively pappadew peppers. Pappadews only just came into my radar in the last few years. They’re smallish red habanero-shaped peppers with a very low-key spice but a nice sweetness to counterbalance the heat of the meat.
MARDI GRAS MAC AND CHEESE
- 16 oz elbow macaroni
- 4 tbsp butter
- ¼ cup flour
- 2 cups milk
- 8 oz sharp cheddar, shredded
- 12 oz. andouille sausage
- 6 pappadew peppers, minced
- Ground black pepper
Get a large pot of salted water boiling. Cook pasta to desired tenderness and set aside. While the pasta is cooking, slice sausage into rounds and fry in a bit of oil until crisp. Set aside.
In a pot, melt butter over above-medium heat. Add flour and stir together. Cook for one minute, stirring constantly. Whisk in milk vigorously until everything is incorporated. Cook, stirring all the while, until it thickens into a nice cream, about 3-6 minutes. When done, remove from heat and whisk in cheese, a handful at a time, until all the cheese is incorporated. Add pepper to taste.
Combine cooked pasta, sauce, sausage, and peppers in a large serving bowl and spoon into bowls.
Makes 6 servings. Enjoy!
saladcheese 
I love creative takes on mac & cheese! Sounds delicious!