Recipes: Out-Of-This-World Mac-and-Cheese and Herb-Roasted Striped Bass

Here are recipes of two of the dishes he made, which we can attest were out-of-this-world delicious. Be sure to check out the video by Briana Brough as well to see the mac-and-cheese from start to finish.

And if you missed the profile of Jason and his charming family, pick up a copy of the February issue, on stands now!

Baked Mac&Cheese

Serves 6

1# Penne Pasta (or any similar sturdy pasta like rigatoni or macaroni)

¼# Smoked Thick Cut or Slab Bacon, medium diced

5 cups Whole Milk

4 Tbl Unsalted Butter

½ cup Flour

5 cups Gruyere Cheese, Grated

1 bunch Fresh Italian Parsley, Stems removed and finely chopped

Kosher Salt

Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

Fresh Ground Pepper

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cook the pasta in salted boiling water until al dente. Drain thoroughly and rinse with cold water briefly to stop cooking. Reserve.
• Place a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the bacon to the pan and render the fat. Cook until bacon begins to crisp and remove from the pan. Reserve bacon leaving the fat in the pan and reduce heat to low.
• Add the butter to the pan and allow it to melt with the bacon fat. Slowly whist in the flower until incorporated to create a roux. Cook the roux stirring frequently for 2-3 minutes.
• Whisk the milk into the roux and return heat to medium. Bring the sauce to a simmer. Season to taste with nutmeg, salt and pepper.
• Stir in 2 ½ cups of the cheese until fully incorporated and remove from heat.
• Using a large mixing bowl, combine the pasta, bacon, parsley and 2 cups of cheese. Add ¾ of the sauce and mix thoroughly.
• Coat the bottom of a large bakeproof casserole dish with some of the sauce, fill it with the pasta mixture and top with the remaining cheese. Bake on center oven rack until lightly browned and bubbly, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Herb Roasted Striped Bass

Serves 4

2# Striped Bass Fillet (or four 8ounce fillets)

8 Sprigs Fresh Thyme

1 bunch Italian Parsley, roughly chopped

3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1 shallot, thinly sliced

1 lemon

¼ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Kosher Salt

Fresh Ground Black Pepper

1 Tbl Spanish Smoked Paprika

• Light your grill
• Fold aluminum foil to create a bed with raised edges large enough to hold the fish
• Place the herbs, garlic, shallots and a few slices of lemon on the foil and sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Drizzle half of the olive oil over the herbs.
• Score the skin of the fish and season liberally on both sides with salt, pepper and paprika. Place the fish skin side up on top of the bed of herbs and drizzle with more of the olive oil.
• Place the fish on charcoal grill and cook with the lid closed at 250-300 degrees for 8-10 minutes, rotate the fish and continue to cook with the lid closed about 8-10 more minutes or until fish is firm and cooked through.
• Remove the fish from the foil and serve. Strain the liquid from the foil pan and reserve. Squeeze the juice from the remaining lemon into the liquid, mix thoroughly and serve with the fish.