Food Comfort Foods Mac and Cheese This three-cheese side is a staple at River Roast restaurant in Chicago. Chef Jason Qureshi adds hot sauce as his personal twist—the acid rounds out the flavor without bringing too much heat. By Jason Qureshi Jason Qureshi Jason Qureshi serves as executive chef at River Roast in Chicago. A native of Los Angeles, he attended the culinary arts program at Los Angeles Harbor College. He started with River Roast as executive sous chef in 2019. Midwest Living's Editorial Guidelines Published on November 2, 2023 Print Share Photo: Carson Downing Hands On Time: 30 mins Total Time: 1 hr Servings: 6 Ingredients 12 ounces dried elbow macaroni 6 tablespoons butter 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour 4 ½ cups milk ½ cup heavy cream ¼ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 3 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese (14 ounces), divided 2 cups shredded fontina cheese (8 ounces), divided 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese (4 ounces), divided 1 tablespoon hot sauce (such as Frank's Red Hot) Directions Preheat oven to 350°. In a 6-quart pot, cook macaroni according to package directions until tender but just underdone, a few minutes less than directed. Drain in a colander. In the same pot, melt butter over medium-low. Whisk in flour until incorporated. Cook, whisking constantly, until light brown and nutty-smelling, about 3 minutes. Immediately add milk and heavy cream in a slow drizzle, whisking constantly. The mixture will thicken and clump at first, but it will develop into a smooth sauce. Cook over medium until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning. Stir in salt and pepper. Remove from heat; let cool 3 minutes. Gradually fold in 3 cups cheddar, 1 1/2 cups fontina and 3/4 cup Parmesan; stir in hot sauce. Taste for seasoning before stirring in cooked macaroni. Transfer to a 13×9-inch baking dish. Bake 15 minutes; stir. Sprinkle with remaining cheddar, fontina and Parmesan cheeses. Bake until bubbly and heated through, 15 to 20 minutes more. Make-Ahead Prepare as directed through Step 3. Cool, cover and store in the refrigerator up to 3 days. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes; stir. Sprinkle with remaining cheeses; bake until bubbly and heated through, 20 to 25 minutes. Nutrition Facts (Per Serving): 982 cal, 63 g fat, 194 mg chol, 1,383 mg sodium, 61 g carbo, 2 g fiber, 13 g sugars, 46 g pro. Print