Hatch Green Chile Mac and Cheese

So this might take me a while to get to the recipe as there are about five stories that go into this dish. First, we had dinner at a friends house last weekend and the fare was fajitas. I was going to bring black bean corn salsa and brilliantly garlicky guac (guac turned into pico but that is another story) and then make rice cooked in Hatch Green Chili enchilada sauce (it just sounded so good). But I failed to specify the ingredients I needed to the person buying them, ergo no sauce. The next night we went to my parent's house and I walked into my bedroom and there was a can of the missing ingredient sitting on the dresser. I laughed and texted my Ervetta (the person doing the shopping the day before) who happened to be in the ER with an extremely broken toe. Needless to say - she did not care much. But I was excited because now I get to make the dish I had envisioned. Fast forward to this weekend, we are heading out to the lake to have Easter with D's family. D says that I can figure out what I am making in the car and we can stop at the HEB in Marble Falls. This complicates things for me because I am not sure what staples I need to bring, so I pack two grocery bags (yes I pack food to take with me in case the store doesn't have it) and see the sauce and say - why not? IN goes the sauce, out goes D, Foster Brown, and I on the road. His brother was making flank steak so I started turning the wheels and gave D his options - knowing which one would get picked (the options were roasted mashed sweet potatoes, green beans and hatch green chili mac and cheese - no brainer). We decide on mac and cheese (shocker I know), hit the grocery and relax at the lake for a while before I start cooking. As it turns out, this was the best choice for a side because it ended up being the only thing we ate for dinner. =)

Hatch Green Chile Mac and Cheese

• One pound pasta of choice (something tubular or shell shaped works best)
• One can Hatch Green Chile Enchilada Sauce
• 2 Hatch Green Chilis, roasted and skins removed (since these are not in season most of the year in Texas sub Jalapeno, Serrano, or Poblano)
• One Tomatillo, hush removed and boiled or roasted)
• 1 cup Sharp Cheddar, shredded (aged about 2 years for best melting results)
• 1.5 cups Queso Asadero, shredded
• 1 cup Jalapeno Jack Cheese, shredded
• 2 Large Shallots, sliced and diced
• 3-4 large handfuls of Spinach
• 1 half lime, juiced
• 1 cup cream or whole milk (I used less for health reasons but the sauce did not come out quite as creamy as I liked - but I also did not put it in the blender which I will tell you to do later)
• 3 tbsp butter
• 6 large cloves garlic, minced
• One pint of Cherry tomatoes, seeded and roughly chopped
• Pinch salt
• Good amount of black pepper
• Chicken Broth
• 2-3 heaping tablespoons of Wheat Flour
• Sriracha (optional)
• Parmesan, shredded or grated (optional) 

Cook pasta in salted water according to instructions.

Saute (seasoned) garlic, shallots, and flour with butter - stirring well to make a light roux. Add roasted peppers and continue to saute. To the pan, add the Hatch Green Chile Enchilada Sauce, Cream, remaining butter, and chicken broth - stir well and reduce slightly. After the tomatillo has been boiled it should be soft, coarsely chop it and add it to the pan. Continue simmering. Remove from heat and put the sauce into a food processor and puree until smooth (this step is optional - if you do not mind chunk then by all means skip - I did). Return the sauce to the hot pan and add in a small handful of cheese (this needs to be done in batches) and stir until melted. Repeat this step until cheese is gone and sauce is thick and gooey. Add lime juice, salt, and pepper to taste. Combine the pasta, tomatoes, spinach, and sauce in a greased oven-safe dish. Stir well. Top with bread crumbs and parmesan cheese if using (feel free to butter your bread crumbs to get them extra brown and delicious - I usually skip this step out of deference to my remarkably expanding derrière). Drizzle the topping with Sriracha (make a pretty design). Bake, uncovered, in an oven that has been pre-heated to 375. Bake until the top is golden brown and the sides are bubbling up. About 45 minutes.

Variation: I think this would be splendid with the addition of a small amount of leftover pulled pork, chicken or ham for a one pot meal. I also think that fresh cilantro would be excellent in this and brighten the dish well if you have it.