Baked Mac n’ Cheese with Caramelized Onions and Duck Sausage

Pre-heat oven to 350°F and grease 3 quart casserole dish.

Parboil the rotini pasta in boiling salted water for 8 minutes and drain.

Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium heat, add the sliced onions and a pinch of sea salt to the pan and sauté for 8 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and sauté for another 35 minutes or until caramelized, stirring occasionally.

Render the sausage in a dry pan over medium heat for 10 minutes, until crispy bits form. Add milk, half-and-half, caramelized onions, sea salt and black pepper then bring to a boil. The second the mixture starts to boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, add the Cougar Gold®, Fontina cheese, Brie and bay leaf and stir until the cheese is melted, about 5 minutes.

In a bowl, mix the cooked rotini pasta with the cheese sauce and transfer into a baking dish. Top with the panko bread crumbs, drizzle with melted butter and broil for a few minutes or until the panko is golden brown and the edges crisp up.

*Other sausage (i.e. turkey sausage) may be substituted if you are unable to find duck sausage.