Two Mac-N-Cheesy Plates To Indulge In

Whether adorned with lobster and blackened squid ink or pulled pork and Sriracha, old school mac and cheese may be the perfect comfort food canvas. On Feb. 17, 30 Cleveland chefs flex their elbow macaroni muscles with traditional and modern takes on the dish at the Smart Local 33 Mac ‘n’ Cheese Throwdown to benefit the Working Animals Giving Service 4 Kids. “I look at food as not just something that fills you,” says Adega’s executive chef, Nelly Buleje. “There’s always a story to be told when you put something on a plate.” In case you can’t make it, we did a deep dive into two of Buleje’s fun twists on the craft king of comfort food.

Traditional:

The Twist:
For the base, melt 50 percent pimento cheese with 50 percent Velveeta sharp cheddar.

The Payoff:
“Pimento cheese by itself isn’t super creamy,” says Buleje. “You’ve got those little chunks. But when you add it to the Velveeta, they both bring each other to a very stable place and they melt perfect with one another.”

Modern:

The Twist:
Marinate thinly sliced pork al pastor overnight in adobo sauce made with chilies, vinegar, onions, garlic, oregano, achiote and pineapple. Then, bake your macaroni noodles in a white cheddar and diced jalapenos base, topping off the casserole with the marinated pork.

The Payoff:
“I would layer that al pastor meat because I wouldn’t want it to get lost,” says Buleje. “You should be able to dip in so you get that mac and cheese note upfront and on the back note you get that spiced meat.”