Apple and pork macaroni and cheese

Fall flavors come together in this rich and creamy skillet apple and pork macaroni and cheese. 

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This past weekend was a fun and food-filled one. On Saturday I spent the day at the 10th Annual World on Your Plate conference. I attended some workshops, listened to speakers, ate delicious local food, and met some great people. 

Then on Sunday I canned (again) - this time applesauce and a hot & sweet chili-garlic sauce. Last weekend we went apple picking at LynOaken Farms where they have a lot of heritage apples - so we were able to pick and sample all kinds of different apples this year.  It was a lovely day and it is definitely one of my favorite fall activities. 

Even though I make a bunch of applesauce, and we eat an apple a day after picking, we always end up with a lot to use. Of course, I'll make a pie, but I like to try out apples in other dishes as well. Hence this super decadent autumn mac n' cheese. 

I was left with a bit of applesauce that wouldn't fit in one my my jars, so I used it in this dish along with some local pastured pork, spices, and creamy cheese sauce. It's autumn in a dish. I served this mac n' cheese with a side of roasted romanesco. 

It's a really rich dish, so a vegetable is highly recommended. It will easily serve about 6 people.

Apple and pork macaroni and cheese
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 lb. ground pork
1 shallot, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground sage
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
a few grinds of black pepper
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1-1/4 cups plain unsweetened applesauce
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2-1/2 cups milk
1-1/2 cups grated sharp white cheddar cheese
1-1/2 cups grated Gruyere cheese, divided
1 lb. shell or other short-cut pasta

Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees. 

In a large cast iron or other heavy-bottom skillet, heat the olive oil and add the pork. Cook, breaking apart with a spoon, until it is browned and cooked through. Drain excess fat. Add the shallot and spices (sage through salt) to the skillet and cook, stirring often, until the shallots are translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir in the applesauce and set aside.

In a large saucepan, heat the butter. When it melts, whisk in the flour and cook, whisking often, for about 2 minutes. Whisk in the milk. Let heat, whisking often, until the milk begins to thicken. In the meantime, heat a large pot of salted water and cook the pasta until just under al dente. Then drain.

When the milk begins to thicken, remove from heat and whisk in the cheese about 1/2 cup at a time, reserving about 1/2 cup of the Gruyere. 

Gently combine the pork mixture, pasta, and cheese sauce in the pot you used to cook the pasta. Then transfer it back into the cast iron skillet or a lightly buttered baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining Gruyere on top. Transfer to the oven and bake until bubbly and the top turns golden, about 10-15 minutes.