This Historical Food Fortnightly theme was “Revolutionary”. Meaning not only a Revolutionary War receipt or reference to the Founding Fathers but also a type of food or cooking technique that was revolutionary for its time.
I decided to use this receipt because it touches upon both subjects.
The authoress of this particular receipt, Mary Randolph, is connected to one of the founding fathers, Thomas Jefferson, through the marriage of her brother to his daughter. But it is not only in this connection that I decided on her “Maccaroni Pudding” receipt. Jefferson, the ardent foodie that he was, inquired to procure a “mould for making maccaroni” from his friend, William Short, who was in Italy in 1789. By the time 1793 arrives, Jefferson has his macaroni press at Monticello. (Adrien Petit’s List of Packages Sent to Richmond, [ca. May 12, 1793])
So, even though there are much earlier references to macaroni and cheese in other cookbooks, Jefferson was certainly one of the first to bring an actual macaroni press into America, making it a revolutionary technique of its time. And, quite possibly, the inspiration for Mary Randolph’s particular receipt here!
Maccaroni Pudding.
Simmer half a pound of macaroni in a plenty of water, with a table-spoonful of salt, till tender, but not broke- strain it, beat five yelks, two whites of eggs, half a pint of cream- mince white meat and boiled ham very fine, add three spoonsful of grated cheese, pepper and salt; mix these with the macaroni, butter the mould, put it in, and steam it in a pan of boiling water for one hour- serve with rich gravy.
Randolph, Mary. The Virginia Housewife Or, Methodical Cook. (1824) Pg. 127-128
So here are the ingredients all laid out! I chopped the ham and chicken (the white meat portion) up fine with a knife. But I think you could certainly use a meat grinder or a food processor.
I also cheated and added another spoonful of the cheese mixture (the 6 Italian cheese mixture) because, well, I love cheese!
Once the water was boiling and salted, with the help of my son, I then added half a pound worth of elbow pasta (about 2 cups). I chose elbows because that’s the shape I think is most popular for mac and cheese recipes.
I then combined the cream with the egg yolks and whites and beat them together till everything was well mixed.
I then added the ham, chicken, cheese, salt and pepper to the egg and milk mixture, and stirred it all together.
By the time I had the ham/chicken/cheese/milk/egg/salt/pepper mixture mixed and ready the elbow macaroni was done cooking. So I drained it and, mixing in some pasta at first to temper the eggs in the mixture, I then mixed the pasta with the whole rest of the mixture.
Setting the pasta mixture aside I buttered some ramekins to put the mixture into.
I personally don’t have a pudding mold like Mary Randolph suggests using. But I thought to mimic the same thing by putting ramekins into an oven proof dish and to put boiling water half way up to mimic the steaming the pudding would do in the pot.
So I put the pasta mixture, and most of the sauce that was on the bottom, into each of the ramekins…
… and added boiling water to the dish till it came half way up the ramekins sides. Then I covered the whole thing with foil and put it in a 350 degree F oven for 1 hour.
I forgot to state earlier that I started preheating the oven before I boiled the macaroni. I highly suggest you do it this way too because the preheat just went off around the time I started to pour the boiling water in the dish. It worked out perfectly!
ONE HOUR LATER…
There they are! And the puffed up BIG TIME!
The consistency seemed more souffle like rather than cheesy like. But I decided to wait for them to cool a bit before my final consensus.
TWENTY MINUTES LATER…
At this point the mixture seemed to be a level below molten and it seemed to be the perfect time to have a taste!
THE TASTE TEST
So, as you can see from the spoonful I took, this was not the creamy macaroni and cheese like texture I was hoping for. It certainly was more like the eggy souffle texture with soft macaroni mixed in. Not unpleasant, just not what I wanted.
I tentatively took the first bite (mainly because it was still steaming some) and stood perplexed for a minute. Then I took another bite, still trying to find it, and failing epically.
It was very BLAND! If I hadn’t been the one to put all that salt and pepper in there earlier then I would have questioned whether they were put in to begin with. My heart did sink a bit with this. I pride myself on never underseasoning what I cook, so this was a bit hard to take.
So, if I was to make this again, I would certainly add MUCH more salt and pepper. I would probably add more cheese and make it more of the creamy texture I enjoy, rather than the eggy consistency it was.
But, to be honest, I probably wouldn’t do this one again. I would rather just make a good batch of some modern macaroni and cheese and add some ham and chicken to it.
Well, you live you learn!