Crab Mac and Cheese - Alex Guarnaschelli

By

Food Network star Alex Guarnaschelli

  • 4
  • 15 mins
  • 45 mins

Ingredients

  • WINE AND PASTA INGREDIENTS:
  • WINE AND PASTA INGREDIENTS:
  • WINE AND PASTA INGREDIENTS:
  • 2 2 2 cups Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi Chardonnay (or Chardonnay of choice)
  • 2 2 2 cups Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi Chardonnay (or Chardonnay of choice)
  • 2 2 2 cups Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi Chardonnay (or Chardonnay of choice)
  • to by Robert Mondavi x Jacobsen Cabernet Sauvignon Salt to taste (or sea salt of choice)
  • to by Robert Mondavi x Jacobsen Cabernet Sauvignon Salt to taste (or sea salt of choice)
  • to by Robert Mondavi x Jacobsen Cabernet Sauvignon Salt to taste (or sea salt of choice)
  • 1 1 1 pound elbow macaroni
  • 1 1 1 pound elbow macaroni
  • 1 1 1 pound elbow macaroni
  • SAUCE INGREDIENTS:
  • SAUCE INGREDIENTS:
  • SAUCE INGREDIENTS:
  • 3 3 3 cups heavy cream
  • 3 3 3 cups heavy cream
  • 3 3 3 cups heavy cream
  • 2 2 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 2 2 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 2 2 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 3 1/2 3 1/2 1/2 cups grated Swiss cheese
  • 3 1/2 3 1/2 1/2 cups grated Swiss cheese
  • 3 1/2 3 1/2 1/2 cups grated Swiss cheese
  • 1/2 1/2 1/2 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
  • 1/2 1/2 1/2 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
  • 1/2 1/2 1/2 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
  • 1 1 1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 1 1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 1 1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 1 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 1 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 1 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 2 2 teaspoons Tabasco
  • 2 2 2 teaspoons Tabasco
  • 2 2 2 teaspoons Tabasco
  • 1 1 1 pound lump crabmeat, picked of any shell bits
  • 1 1 1 pound lump crabmeat, picked of any shell bits
  • 1 1 1 pound lump crabmeat, picked of any shell bits
  • TOPPING:
  • TOPPING:
  • TOPPING:
  • 1 1 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs, toasted
  • 1 1 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs, toasted
  • 1 1 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs, toasted
  • 1/2 1/2 1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
  • 1/2 1/2 1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
  • 1/2 1/2 1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350F.
* Reduce the wine: In a medium pot, reduce the wine over medium heat until the liquid measures about ½ cup, five-to-eight minutes. Remove the pot from the heat.
* Cook the pasta: In a large pot, bring four quarts water and two tablespoons of the wine salt to a rolling boil. It should taste like seawater. Stir in the macaroni and cook but leave quite firm, six-to-eight minutes. Drain the reserve pasta, keeping some of the cooking liquid.
* Make the macaroni sauce: In the same pot holding the reduced wine, add the cream and the mustard to a simmer gently over medium-low heat with a pinch of wine salt or salt. Stir in the three cups of the Swiss cheese, all of the cheddar and ½ of the Parmesan cheese, Worcestershire and Tabasco and warm until cheese melts, three-to-five minutes.
* Finish the dish: Add the macaroni to the cream and stir gently to blend. Allow the macaroni to “rest” on the stove, five-to-ten minutes, so the pasta absorbs the flavors. Transfer half of the macaroni to an ovenproof baking dish (about 9” x 13”), sprinkle with an even layer of about half of the crab. Gently layer on the remaining macaroni and crab.
* Make the breadcrumb mix and finish the dish: In a medium bowl, mix the breadcrumbs with remaining Swiss and Parmesan cheeses and parsley. Top the pasta with the breadcrumbs and bake in the oven 15-20 minutes or until browned and hot.