I wasn’t going to do it, y’all. I mean, there are already three mac n’ cheese recipes on here: do we really need a fourth? But this one: this one was so good that I couldn’t keep it to myself. And since the end of Meyer season is upon us, I rationalized considered it my civic duty to make this one again, so I could photograph it and share it with you, gentle reader.
It’s simple enough: a basic bechamel-based macaroni and cheese, with Meyer lemon zest infused in the bechamel and fresh rosemary, salt & pepper stirred into the cheese sauce. For such a simple addition, however, the change to the overall dish is dramatic: suffused with California sunshine, light and intense at the same time; earthy, grassy rosemary, bright & zesty Meyer lemon, warm and comforting pasta and cheese. It was amazing, and quite surprising to me, how much these two simple ingredients changed the whole character of the dish.
I’d be remiss if I did not thank Karen of Lemon Ladies for this recipe: not only does she grow the best Meyer lemons I’ve ever had, she sent me some gorgeous, sticky, (and massive!) rosemary stems from her magical garden by the Bay. Infuse some California sunshine into your own mac and cheese soon: you won’t regret it.
Adapted from Mac.And.Cheese, which no longer bears any resemblance to the original Martha recipe.
Meyer Lemon Rosemary Mac & Cheese
INGREDIENTS
- 8 oz whole wheat macaroni
- splash olive oil
- 2 and ¾ cups whole milk
- zest of 2 medium Meyer lemons
- 2 fat stems rosemary, leaves plucked and finely minced (about 2 tbsp)
- ½ tsp salt
- several grinds black pepper
- 3 tbsp (1 ½ oz) butter, plus extra for buttering a casserole dish
- ¼ cup whole wheat pastry flour
- 4 oz (about 1 cup) Gruyère cheese, grated
- 4 oz (about 1 cup) sharp cheddar, grated
- 2 ½ oz (a generous ½ cup) Parmesan or other hard cheese, grated
METHODS
- Cook pasta. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add macaroni and a splash of olive oil; replace cover until water returns to a brisk boil. Boil, partially covered, until slightly more firm than al dente, about 4 minutes. Drain, rinse thoroughly under cold water in order to stop cooking, and toss with another splash of olive oil. Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Butter a casserole (I use a 2-qt Staub roasting dish here).
- Make bechamel. In a small saucepan, combine milk and Meyer lemon zest. Heat to a bare simmer over medium-low heat. While the milk is warming, melt the butter in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat. When butter foam subsides, add the flour; whisking thoroughly, cook for 1 minute. Slowly add the hot milk, in 3 or 4 batches, while whisking constantly. Continue to cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the bechamel is bubbling thickly, about 5 – 8 minutes.
- Make cheese sauce. Remove bechamel from the heat. Stir in rosemary, salt and pepper. Add about two-thirds of each grated cheese. Stir until the cheese is all melted and the sauce looks uniform. Add the cooked macaroni and stir to coat. Taste sauce and adjust lemon, rosemary or salt & pepper to taste.
- Assemble & bake. Transfer macaroni mixture to the prepared casserole dish. Sprinkle evenly with the remaining cheese. Bake in the reheated oven until golden brown, about 30 – 35 minutes. Cool about 10 minutes before serving.
Serves 8.
OPTIONS
- Can’t source Meyer lemons? Try using the zest of one regular lemon and one orange or tangerine.
- This recipe obviously lends itself to other citrus zest + herb combinations. I’d stick to a woody herb, like thyme, savory or sage. I like to toss in a bit or orange zest with the Meyer now & then. I also think Kaffir lime & red chile flakes could be fabulous. Thin slivers of kumquat intrigue me. I’m not so sure about grapefruit, though.
- I really like the Gruyère in this recipe, but of course, you can use any semi-hard, melting cheeses you like (or have on hand).
STORE
Refrigerated, for up to 1 week.
SEASON
Winter.
localkitchenblog.com 
Looks fabulous and I can’t wait to try it. I am also in love with your cast iron pan. Who makes it and what size is it, please? I think I have to put it on my birthday wish list (Christmas is too far away!).
Hi Shawn,
It’s a Staub oval roasting pan, 2-qt/12.5 in size and it’s my new favorite roaster! They seem oddly hard to find right now (Staub must be on the verge of releasing spring colors). Mine is sapphire blue, but here is a black matte one from their website: http://zwillingonline.com/1303323.html
I got mine for a steal on Amazon a few months ago: if I come across one I like, I always check the “used” category, because often they are brand new pans that are in a slightly crushed box that can’t be resold.
Currently, Williams Sonoma seems to have the best selection of the smaller size, the 1.5 qt/9.5 in but you may be able to find the larger size in stores. Good luck!
Thanks!!
And I just (randomly!) saw this: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Staub-1303391-Dark-Blue-12-5-x-9-2-Qt-Oval-Enameled-Cast-Iron-Roasting-Pan-/331065492202?pt=Cookware&hash=item4d150a82ea
Great price – I think I paid $75 for mine, but it retails >$200.
I am always looking for a great mac and cheese recipe and this one looks delicious.
Thanks for sharing
This looks fabulous! I adore gruyère and rosemary together. Such a fantastic flavor combination.
Wow, what an interesting combination! We have a meyer lemon tree in the backyard–so I know what I’ll be making soon!
That looks wonderful – I’m a huge fan of flavoured macaroni cheese, as opposed to just cheese.
I usually like to add vegetables of some sort, to make it a more well-rounded meal. But this one is so simple and beautiful as is. Really worth a try.
Interesting combination…..would never have thought of adding lemon to mac n cheese. Oh, and there can NEVER be too many mac n cheese recipes! Keep’em coming!
You can never go wrong with recipes like this. Delicious!
Ahh, cheesy recipes are the best recipes! Have never even considered a citrus flavour in this kind of recipe before. Can’t wait to try it.
holy cow this looks incredible! so many delicious things – thanks for sharing!!
Love it. It might be too classy to call mac and cheese! I would make it if I had any pasta left in the pantry. I am hoping I can get to the store tomorrow!
If only I had used a fancy (and unpronounceable) shaped pasta. There’s just no way to glam up elbow macaroni! 🙂
Whaaaat?! That sounds insane. My mouth is watering!
What a delicious combination of flavors!
Sounds absolutely fabulous. Zingy and creamy and confronting. Delicious!
I am so glad that you posted this! I’m usually a minimalist when it comes to mac and cheese, but I really want tot try this. Especially with the cheeses/other flavors that you chose, this makes so much sense!
Gosh, your recipes and food pictures are perfection! Love them! Another thing on my to make list! 😉 x
OOOh Kaffir lime and chile (perhaps the poblanos that I roasted, skinned and froze). I can almost taste it — meaning it might not be necessary to cook it, but I probably will. . .
I’ve been seeing a lot about meyer lemons recently. What’s the hype all about? I have yet to experiment with them.
Wow, this sounds really intriguing! I would not have thought to use lemons in mac & cheese, but I’ll take your word for it and give a try!! Also, do you know if meyer lemons go bad more quickly than regular ones? That has been my experience, but I’m not sure if that’s just a fluke or not.
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