Crab Mac and Cheese

preparation

There is something uniquely calming about a serving of macaroni and cheese, which has made it a household favourite across the entire world. We at Castello® love the vast world of macaroni and cheese just as much as you do, and the great versatility has allowed for countless of delicious variations.

Get ahead on dinner with minimal effort in the kitchen. Our version of Crab Mac and Cheese guarantees that you hit home every time. Adding succulent white crab meat to your creamy mac and cheese is something truly special, both when enjoyed with friends, or by yourself. Cooking with crab can be as easy as it is delicious, and when following our recipe, you will be diving in to the perfect guilty pleasure in no time.

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180° C.

2. Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions in a large pan of boiling salted water until al dente.

3. In a saucepan melt butter and add plain flour. Stir until you get a paste. Slowly add milk while stirring and let it simmer for 5-7 minutes.

4. Turn the heat to medium, add grated Castello® Tickler Mature Cheddar and stir until the cheese has melted and you get a nice smooth sauce. Season with salt, pepper, nutmeg and lemon zest. Make sure the sauce is slightly wet as it will thicken up again in the oven.

5. Drain the pasta and add to the cheese sauce along with chopped flat leaf parsley.

6. Pour half the mac and cheese into a coated baking dish, add the crab meat and then the rest of the macaroni cheese on top. Top with breadcrumbs and the rest of the grated mature cheddar (50 g). Finish with a few small cubes of butter on top.

7. Bake for 30 minutes at 180° C.

Rich in flavour

Crab shares many of the traits seen in lobster and has been prized for its sweeter taste and delicate consistency. Delight in the complex and nutty zests from the Cheddar and let the brightness from the crab carry you to macaroni and cheese heaven. Combined, tones of butter and sweetness entwine like a tightly woven knot and create a rich and velvety finish. The crabmeat packs a punch, and the clean flavour stands in great contrast to the creamy sauce of the cheese. Few recipes do comfort food better, and our Crab Macaroni Cheese is the epitome of food for the soul and is guaranteed to impress at get-togethers or potlucks. Our Crab Macaroni Cheese is ideal for when you want the most out of the time spent in your kitchen.

Picking the right cheese

Wherever it goes, and whatever iteration it finds itself in, cheese usually functions as the main attraction of the dish. On rare occasions, such as this, attention befalls to the crab. Even so, the cheese has an enormous influence on the result of the dish, and choosing the wrong sort, can saturate the decadent flavours from the crab. When picking your cheese, one should always aim to compliment the other ingredients. In our recipe, we chose our Castello® Extra Mature Cheddar that perfectly enhances the soft tones of the crab. This aged Cheddar adds bite and a hint of lemony tartness that runs in smooth harmony with the crab, while a hint of nutmeg provides a pungent and warm aroma to finish.