Dinner Made Easy: Weeknight Recipes from TV Chefs

Roger Mooking's Curried Macaroni and Cheese

You know him from: The Cooking Channel's Everyday Exotic.

Cooking philosophy: "By adding one new ingredient to a recipe you can transform the dish."

Must-use ingredient: "Kosher salt. The grains are larger than regular salt, so I can see exactly how much I'm using."

His inspiration in the kitchen: "Bruce Lee, because he saw practice as an opportunity to master his craft. In the kitchen, repetition helps you do things better."

Roger Mooking's Curried Macaroni and Cheese

Serves 8 to 10

Work: 15 minutes

Total: 45 minutes

Ingredients

1 pound elbow macaroni

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1 teaspoon canola oil

1/2 red onion, finely diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 Thai green chili, split lengthwise

1 tablespoon curry powder

6 tablespoons all-purpose flour

5 cups milk

2 1/2 cups grated white cheddar

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs

1 bunch asparagus, trimmed

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Cook macaroni in salted water, drain and set aside.

2. In a large saucepan melt butter with the oil over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, and chili; saute until soft, 2 minutes. Stir in curry powder and flour to create a paste. Pour in milk while whisking and bring to a simmer, stirring.

3. Remove saucepan from the heat and discard the chili. Add 2 cups cheese; stir until smooth. Add the cooked macaroni and salt. Transfer mixture to a 4-quart baking dish. Sprinkle top with 1/4 cup breadcrumbs and 1/4 cup cheese. Arrange the asparagus over macaroni. Sprinkle asparagus with the remaining breadcrumbs and cheese and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the top is golden.

Per serving: 400 calories, 25g total fat, 7.5g sat fat, 863mg sodium, 5g carbs, 125mg chol, 39g protein, 3g fiber