Here’s a delicious mash up of vibrant street corn and creamy mac & cheese! Plenty of roasted corn is throughout the dish – inside and on top, taking mac & cheese to a whole new level. The corn can be roasted under the broiler or in skillet.
3 cans (15.25 oz. each) Del Monte® Whole Kernel Corn
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 Tbsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. cayenne
2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
6 cups Chicken Stock (about 1.5 cartons, 32 oz. each)
1 Tbsp. cayenne hot sauce, such as Franks® brand
1 lb. uncooked small or medium shell pasta
12 oz. sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded (3 1/2 cups)
4 oz. cream cheese, cubed
Place an oven rack in the top position and preheat broiler. Line a large, rimmed half sheet pan (18x13x1-inch) with foil; set aside. Drain corn in a colander and pat very dry with paper towels. Lightly coat a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
Add dry corn and oil to prepared baking sheet; toss to coat and spread out evenly. Broil 5 minutes; stir. Broil 3 to 4 minutes until toasted; stir in chili powder and cayenne and broil 1 more minute. Turn off broiler and preheat oven to 400°F. Remove 1 cup corn and add to a small heat-proof bowl with lime juice; toss and set aside for the topping. Set remaining corn aside.
Bring stock and hot sauce to a boil in a Dutch oven (5 to 6-qt.). Stir in pasta and cook al dente according to package directions, stirring frequently. DO NOT DRAIN.
Remove pasta from heat. Stir in Cheddar, cream cheese and roasted corn; stir until cheeses are melted. Sauce will be thin. Pour into the prepared baking dish; bake 20 minutes until sauce is bubbling along edges.
Top mac & cheese with reserved corn with lime juice, cotija, cilantro and jalapeño before serving.
To pan-roast corn, heat oil in a 12-inch non-stick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add dry corn; cook 5 minutes without stirring. Stir; cook 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until toasted. Add chili powder and cayenne; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Toss 1 cup of hot corn with lime juice in a bowl and set aside for topping. Proceed as recipe directs.