Macaroni Gratin

• SERVINGS: 8 

I had too much milk in the frig!  Rather than waste it, I tried this mac & cheese variation--creamy throughout, cheesy on top.  This deliciously moist macaroni gratin (with a mild garlic flavor) is a far cry from American macaroni and cheese. Chef Benoît Guichard cooks the pasta in milk, then cools the cooking liquid down with ice cubes, a technique that keeps the macaroni from drying out. The dish can be served as a main-course pasta for four with a salad or as an accompaniment to roasted meats or poultry.
 
3 quarts whole milk (I used 2%)
4 garlic cloves, lightly crushed
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
Fine sea salt
Freshly ground white pepper
Freshly grated nutmeg (optional)
3/4 cup heavy cream (use milk for a lower fat option)
3/4 pound ridged penne pasta
2 trays of ice cubes (I used 4 cups--who has ice cube trays??)
1 cup freshly grated imported Gruyère cheese (3 1/2 ounces)  (I used sharp cheddar & fresh Parmesan)
2 tablespoons minced chives
 
In a large saucepan, combine the milk and garlic. Warm the milk over high heat until bubbles appear around the edge. Remove from the heat, cover and let steep for 10 minutes. Remove and discard the garlic. Measure out 1 cup of milk and reserve; set aside the rest.
 
In a small saucepan, melt the butter over moderate heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, without browning, for 1 minute. Remove the saucepan from the heat and gradually whisk in the reserved 1 cup of milk, stirring constantly, until the sauce is completely smooth. Season with a large pinch of salt and generous gratings of white pepper and nutmeg. Return the pan to low heat and cook the sauce, whisking constantly, until it's thick, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, let cool slightly and stir in the heavy cream. Season with salt.
 
Preheat the oven to 500°. Add 1tsp of salt to the remaining milk and bring back to a simmer. Add the pasta and cook, stirring, over moderately high heat so the milk is just simmering, until al dente, about 10-12 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat and add the ice cubes to stop the cooking. Once all of the ice cubes have melted, drain the pasta in a colander and transfer to a large bowl.
 
Add the white sauce to the pasta and toss to coat. Transfer the mixture to a buttered 9-by13-inch gratin dish. Sprinkle the cheese all over the top and bake for about 10 minutes, or until bubbling around the edges. Turn on the broiler and (carefully) broil, rotating the dish, until the cheese is golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Let the gratin stand for 5 minutes, then season generously with white pepper, garnish with the chives and serve.

Based on a recipe from http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/macaroni-gratin Contributed by Benôit Guichard