A seafood twist on a family favourite that’s packed with sustainable shellfish. Serve with a lemony rocket salad
Prep:15 mins
Serves 6 – 8
100g butter, plus extra for greasing 500g macaroni100g flour1l milk200g mature cheddar, grated1 tbsp Dijon mustard1 tbsp tomato ketchup1 tsp cayenne pepper or Tabasco sauce150g fresh, brown crabmeat
STEP 1Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6 and grease a medium baking dish. Cook the macaroni following pack instructions.STEP 2Meanwhile, 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.STEP 3Remove 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.STEP 4Spoon 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.STEP 5Meanwhile, 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.
