Baked Crab Mac Cheese Recipes

CRAB MAC 'N' CHEESE BAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6 and grease a medium baking dish. Cook the macaroni following pack instructions.
• Meanwhile, melt the butter in a thick-bottomed pan and add the flour to make a thick paste, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon. Add the milk, little by little, to the paste, mixing until smooth. Cook over a medium heat, stirring continuously until the mixture thickens.
• Remove from the heat, add 150g cheese and whisk until smooth. Mix in the mustard, ketchup and cayenne. Drain the macaroni and return to the pan. Stir the cheese sauce into the cooked pasta, fold in the brown crabmeat and season.
• Spoon the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining 50g cheese on top and bake in the oven for 25-30 mins until heated through. Remove from the oven and stand for 10 mins.
• Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine all the ingredients for the crab topping with some seasoning. Serve a big spoonful on top of each portion of the bake, then scatter over the dressed rocket (see 'Goes well with'). If making ahead, cool completely and leave in the fridge overnight. The next day, cut into slabs and reheat (covered in foil) for 10 mins in the oven at 200C/180C fan/gas 6.

CRAB MACARONI & CHEESE

Steps:

• Cook macaroni according to package directions. Drain pasta and rinse in cold water., Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute mushrooms and onions in 1 tablespoon butter until tender; set aside., In a large saucepan, melt remaining butter. Stir in flour, mustard, pepper, salt and paprika until smooth; gradually add cream. Bring to a boil; cook and stir 2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in 3/4 cup each mozzarella and cheddar cheeses until blended. Remove from heat; fold in macaroni., Preheat oven to 350°. In a small bowl, combine bread crumbs, butter and basil. Transfer half the macaroni mixture to a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Layer with reserved mushroom mixture, remaining macaroni mixture, mozzarella and cheddar cheeses. Top with crab and Swiss cheese. Sprinkle with crumb mixture and Parmesan cheese., Bake 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

EMERIL'S SEAFOOD MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook macaroni 2 minutes less than al dente. Drain; rinse with cold water. Set aside.
• While pasta is cooking, melt butter over medium in a large saucepan. Transfer 2 tablespoons melted butter to a medium bowl, and reserve. Add onion and garlic to pan; cook until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add flour; cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add milk; whisk until smooth. Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer, and cook until sauce has thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Season with 3/4 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and nutmeg.
• Remove pan from heat. Fold in seafood, macaroni, and cheese; transfer to a shallow 4-quart baking dish. To bowl with reserved melted butter, add breadcrumbs and Creole seasoning; toss, and scatter over macaroni mixture. Place baking dish on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until topping is golden and sauce is bubbling, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes before serving.

CRAB MACARONI AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• For the pasta: In a large pot, bring 4 quarts water and the salt to a rolling boil. It should taste like seawater. Stir in the macaroni and cook but leave quite firm, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain the pasta, reserving some of the cooking liquid.
• For the sauce: In a medium pot, reduce the wine over medium heat until the liquid measures about 1/2 cup, 5 to 8 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the cream, mustard and a pinch of salt. Bring to a gentle simmer. Stir in the Swiss cheese, Cheddar, Parmesan, Worcestershire and hot sauce and warm until the cheese melts, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Add the macaroni to the cream mixture and stir gently to blend. Allow the macaroni to rest on the stove so the pasta absorbs the flavors, 5 to 10 minutes. Transfer half of the macaroni to a 9-by-13-inch oven-proof baking dish, sprinkle with half of the crab in an even layer. Gently layer on the remaining macaroni, and then another layer of crab.
• For the topping: In a medium bowl, mix the breadcrumbs, Parmesan, parsley and Swiss cheese. Top the pasta with the breadcrumbs and bake until browned and hot, 15 to 20 minutes.

CRAB CAKE MAC N CHEESE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium heat, then salt the water. Add the pasta and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, (it will be undercooked). Cool, drain well and add it to a large bowl.
• Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan, and 1 tablespoon of the butter over medium to medium-high heat. Add the celery, onion, red pepper, garlic, bay leaf, thyme, lemon zest, salt and pepper, to taste. Cook to tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the crabmeat to the vegetables and season liberally with seafood seasoning. Stir to combine, then remove from heat.
• In a medium sauce pot, over low heat, melt 3 tablespoons butter and whisk in the flour. Cook for 1 minute, then whisk in the milk and bring to a bubble. Season the sauce with salt, pepper and nutmeg, to taste, and cook for a few minutes, until the mixture coats the back of a spoon. Add the mustard and the cheese and stir in a figure 8 motion. Add the vegetables and crab, sauce to the bowl with the pasta and transfer the mixture to individual baking crocks or a large casserole dish. This can be made ahead to this point and refrigerated.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• To complete the dish, melt a couple of tablespoons butter in a small skillet, over low heat and add 3 tablespoons hot sauce. Warm through, then add the panko crumbs and toss to evenly coat the crumbs in sauce mixture. Cool the crumbs, then toss in the parsley and 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano -Reggiano cheese. Top the mac n cheese with the spicy crumb mixture. Arrange individual crocks on a baking sheet or put the casserole on baking sheet to catch any drips. Bake until brown and heated through, about 10 minutes. If cooking from cold, the mac n cheese will take 40 to 45 minutes, but add the crumbs the last 10 minutes of baking.