In colder weather we all like to have some warming comfort food. This crab mac and cheese is a tasty luxe upgrade to this family supper favourite. Adding some delicious crab to the classic mix makes a really tasty difference.
About Crabs From Walter Purkis
The most commonly eaten crab in the UK is the common edible or brown crab they can weighs up to 3kg. They contain plenty of sweet, tasty meat. It is often said that the female or hen crabs have sweeter flesh than males however the males or cock crabs tend to have more white meat.
Crabs in our shops are delivered live and are prepared by us so what you see on the counter will be really fresh. You can by whole crabs or dressed in the shell. We also sell packs of crab meat.
Preparation time will be about10 mins, cooking time will be about 40 minutes. Quantities are for four people.
Ingredients For Crab Mac And Cheese
350g white crab meat from Walter Purkis & Sons
350g dried macaroni
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
Pinch crushed dried chilli flakes
1 tsp celery salt
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp plain flour
400ml semi-skimmed milk
200g mature cheddar cheese, grated
Salt and pepper
Cooking Method For Crab Mac And Cheese
Bring a pan of salted water to the boil and cook the macaroni according to the pack instructions until al dente. Drain well.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a saucepan over a medium heat and gently fry the onion until it starts to soften and lightly brown, around 5 minutes. Add the garlic, chilli flakes, celery salt and mustard and cook for a further 1 or2 minutes. Stir together then add the butter.
Once the butter melts, add the flour and stir until it all comes together. Slowly whisk in the milk, keeping it on a low heat and making sure to stir continuously so there are no lumps.
Slowly bring up the heat to thicken the sauce, then stir in three-quarters of the cheese and allow it to melt through the mix. Next, add the crab and drained macaroni, stir gently avoid breaking up any larger pieces or the crab meat. Transfer to one large or four individual ovenproof dishes that have been buttered inside. Sprinkle over the remaining cheese.
Preheat the grill to high. Place the dishes under the grill until the cheese has melted. Serve straightaway.
You can find more crab recipes here >>
Recipe and image credits Seafish
