1 1/2cupschopped roasted green chiles(see headnotes)
5tablespoonsall-purpose flour
2cupshalf and half
1/2cupwhole milk
1 1/2cupsshredded gruyere cheese(or similar)
1cupshredded white cheddar cheese
1/2cupgrated pecorino or parmesan cheese
8ouncescooked, shredded pheasant or chicken
1/4cup chopped cilantro or parsley
1/2cupbreadcrumbs
Instructions
Heat the butter in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Sauté the onion for about 5 minutes, stirring often, then add the garlic and cook another minute. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Add the flour to the pan and stir it in well. Drop the heat to medium, and let the flour cook a few minutes, stirring often. You don't want the flour to brown, but you do want it to color just a bit. Look for an ivory-beige color, which should take about 5 minutes.
Stir in the roasted green chiles and the oregano, if using. Now start stirring in the half and half and whole milk, little but little. Do this about 1/2 cup at a time, stirring each time. Wait until the mixture begins to simmer before adding the next 1/2 cup.
When the cream and milk is all in there, start doing the same thing with the shredded cheeses, adding them about 1/2 cup at a time, stirring until they are melted and incorporated before adding the next 1/2 cup. Mix in the cilantro and add salt and black pepper to taste.
Stir in the cooked pasta and the pheasant or chicken and mix well. Move all this to a casserole dish (a standard 9x13 is what I use), and pack it down evenly. Top with the breadcrumbs. If you want to add other seasoning, like a sprinkle of Cajun, Old Bay, Cavender's, chile powder or whatever, do that now. You can also dot the top with more butter if you'd like.
Bake this for about 25 minutes, or until the breadcrumbs start to brown. Take the casserole out and let it sit for 5 minutes before serving.