Seafood Mac And Cheese Recipes

While fresh claw crab meat is preferred, imitation crab meat can be used in Seafood Mac And Cheese Recipes without sacrificing flavor.

If you’re doing this for a particular circumstance and want to make it even more decadent, you can replace the shrimp and crab meat with a more luxurious option like lobster or scallops – but expect to pay much more per serving.

We increased the amount of seafood in the recipe to make it a heartier entree, but if you want to serve it as a side dish, you can reduce or even eliminate the meat.

You can also add or substitute cheeses depending on what you have on hand – we prefer white cheddar and fontina, but you could likewise try a combo of Swiss, Gruyere, Parmesan, Pecorino Romano, or Monterey Jack.
Last but not least, sprinkle this pasta with crispy seasoned Panko crumbs. A teaspoon of

Creole seasoning adds just the right amount of zing to the buttery breadcrumbs. Bake until shining brown and bubbly, about 30 minutes.

Serve this creamy pasta bake as an entree with a light green salad or as a celebration side dish. This can be stewed in a shallow 4-quart baking pot or individual au gratin baking dishes.

4 Seafood Mac And Cheese Recipes

Macaroni and Cheese with Seafood

Ingredients

kosher salt and freshly ground white pepper
1 pound macaroni elbow
6 tablespoons melted butter
1/2 medium finely chopped white onion
3 minced garlic cloves
a third cup of all-purpose flour
3 quarts of whole milk
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg, ground
1.5 pounds cooked shrimp and crab meat, coarsely chopped
4 cups freshly grated white cheddar and fontina cheese
1 pound of panko breadcrumbs
Cajun seasoning

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Cook macaroni in a wide saucepan of bubbling salted water for two minutes less than al dente. Rinse with cold water after draining. Put aside.

While the pasta is cooking, thaw the butter in a wide skillet over medium heat. Reserve 2 tablespoons of melted butter in a medium bowl.

Cook until the onion and garlic are melted, 3 to 5 minutes. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.

Whisk in the milk until smooth. Bring it to a boil, next scale down to a simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened. 3/4 teaspoon salt, half teaspoon of pepper, and nutmeg

Remove the pan from the heat. Transfer to a shallow 4-quart baking plate or individual baking trays after folding in the seafood, macaroni, and cheese.

Toss breadcrumbs and Creole seasoning into the bowl with reserved melted butter, then scatter over the macaroni mixture.

Put the baking tray on a baking sheet with a rim. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the topping is golden and the sauce is bubbling.

Let it cool down for about 6 minutes before serving.

LOBSTER MAC&CHEESE 

Ingredients

20 quarts water

2 teaspoons coarse sea salt

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 pound campanelle pasta, divided 1/2 pound unsalted butter

2 minced small shallots

2 tbsp. garlic, minced

6 tbsp fine sherry

3 tbsp. fresh thyme leaves

2 tbsp original Tabasco sauce

3 teaspoons mild smoked Spanish paprika

1 tsp. white pepper 1/2 tsp. sea salt

1 tsp coarsely ground black pepper a quarter teaspoon cloves nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon

2 CUPS HEAVY WHISPERED CREAM

1/2 pound shredded Gruyere (about 3 cups)

6 oz. shredded sharp Cheddar (about 3 cups)

3 ounces shredded Manchego (approximately 1 1/2 cups)

5 tbsp. white truffle oil

2 oz. cream cheese (about 4 tablespoons)

1 ounce crumbled Valdeon blue cheese (about 2 tablespoons)

2 tablespoons lobster stock

1 pound panko

1 pound lobster meat, cooked

Directions

Take water to a boil in a stockpot

Stir in the pasta and season with salt and olive oil.

Cook for 8 minutes before drying and setting away.

Melt 12 tablespoons butter in a large saucepan over low heat.

Cook for 6 minutes, or until the shallots turn translucent, before adding the garlic and shallots.

Combine sherry, thyme, Tabasco, paprika, white pepper, salt, black pepper, cloves, and nutmeg in a mixing bowl.

Cook for 10 minutes, constantly stirring with a rubber spatula.

Preheat the oven to 450°F.

Cook, whisking continually until the mix reaches a temperature of 120 degrees.

Combine Gruyere, Cheddar, Manchego, truffle oil, cream cheese, blue cheese, and lobster base in a mixing bowl.

Heat to 180°F while constantly stirring with a rubber spatula. Combine the mixture with an immersion mixer until completely smooth. Set aside 2 cups of the sauce for use with the lobster.

Cooked pasta should be added to the remaining sauce and spread into an 11-by-13-inch baking dish that is at least 2 1/2 inches deep.

Bake for 10 minutes, then top with panko. Pull out from the stove and trim the heat to 350°F.

While the pasta is baking, melt the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.

Cook for 5 minutes, or until lobster is cooked through. Stir in the reserved cheese.

MAC AND CHEESE WITH MAYAN CHIPOTLE CHICKEN

Ingredients

a half-pound macaroni

1/4 cup non-salted butter (1/2 stick)

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup warmed whole milk

3 oz. grated cheddar cheese

1 ounce grated fontina cheese

2 oz. mascarpone

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 small onion, diced or 1/2 medium onion, diced

3 minced garlic cloves

3 finely chopped chipotles in adobo sauce

a quarter cup of orange juice

1/2 pound cooked shredded chicken

3 tablespoons cilantro, chopped

One teaspoon dehydrated oregano or one tablespoon minced raw oregano

2 tbsp lime juice, freshly squeezed

seasoned with salt and newly grated black pepper

Chihuahua cheese, 4 oz.

Four white scallions and 4 inches of green scallions, thinly sliced

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Butter a 13-by-9-inch baking pan with a cooking sprayer.

Over high heat, bring a pot of salted water to a boil.

Cook the macaroni until it starts to melt and reaches the al dente stage.

Drain the pasta and rinse it under cold water before returning it to the pot.

In a frying pan over medium-low heat, soften the butter. Cook, constantly stirring, for 1 minute, or until the mixture turns slightly beige, is bubbly, and appears to have increased in volume.

Build up the heat to medium and whisk in the hot milk gradually. Bring to a boil while whisking constantly.

Cut down the heat to low and cook the sauce for 2 minutes. Add the cheddar, fontina, and mascarpone in 1/2-cup increments to the sauce, stirring until the cheese melts before adding more.

In a medium saucepan over medium intensity, heat the olive oil. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, frequently stirring, until the onion is softened and lightly browned.

Diminish the heat to medium-low and cook, often whisking, for 3 minutes, or until the garlic, chilies, orange juice, chicken, cilantro, and oregano are well-combined and hot.

Mix the cheese sauce and chicken mixture well over the pasta. Simmer in the lemon zest and add salt and pepper to taste.

Transfer the pasta to the prepared baking dish and evenly sprinkle with the Chihuahua cheese.

Bake 20–35 minutes in the oven, or until the edges are bubbling and the top is golden brown. Serve with scallions on top.

Six people are served.

532 calories (48 percent fat), 28 grams fat (17 grams saturated, 8 grams monounsaturated), 2 milligrams cholesterol, 30 grams protein, 39 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram fiber, 343 milligrams sodium per serving

LUTEFISK, BAKED AND CRUNCHY

Serves 4 or more people.

Panko breadcrumbs are wider and airier than conventional breadcrumbs, but they can be substituted.

Adapted from a recipe for cod in Cook’s Illustrated.

Ingredients

1 (1.75 pounds) package thawed lutefisk, cut into 4 pieces

salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 cup breadcrumbs (panko) (see note)

2 tbsp fresh minced parsley, divided

1 tablespoon mayonnaise

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

a pinch of cayenne

Directions

Preheat the stove to 450°F with the rack in the middle position. Squirt the interior of a 9-by-13-inch baking container with vegetable oil spray.

Applying paper towels, pat the fish dry, and garnish with salt and pepper. Place the fish in a baking dish.

Combine breadcrumbs and 1 tablespoon parsley in a mixing bowl.

Separately, combine the remaining 1 tablespoon parsley, mayonnaise, mustard, lemon juice, and cayenne pepper in a separate bowl.

Apply the mayonnaise mixture to the top and sides of the fish. Crumbles should be pressed into the mayonnaise to ensure they adhere.

Bake for 15 minutes, or until the crumbs are golden brown and all but the deep center of the fish gets turned from luminous to opaque.