Put a Little South in Your Mouth This Father's Day
As Father's Day approaches, what better way to honor our dads than with a hearty, indulgent dish that combines the best of the land and the sea? Satisfy your father's taste buds this weekend with my Crab Mac and Cheese featuring Butter-poached Bay Shrimp. This flavorful dish includes low-country bacon gravy, fresh crab, crab boil seasoning, and a hint of Serrano peppers for balance. These ingredients create a savory roux for the creamy mac and cheese sauce. The dish is prepared with large pasta shells, topped with crispy panko crumbs and Parmesan. Indulge in this perfectly cooked Mac N Cheese. I know it will be your dad's new favorite!
Winning Recipe
In 2019, my Southern-inspired submission for Chef's Roll's 'Bayou to the Bay' Barilla Pasta Challenge made it to the Top Ten. As a reward, I got a signed copy of John Folse's 'Encyclopedia of Cajun & Creole Cuisine.' I'm highlighting the dish again this week as a cherished recipe from my award-winning recipe collection to yours.
Summer Comfort Foods
With crab season nearing, hand-catching these crustaceans can be a fun summer activity for you and your family. Despite living in landlocked Colorado, I can rely on a local Asian market that occasionally sells live crabs. I plan to get mine from the fishmonger.
Catching Crab By Hand
Collect these crustaceans by walking along shorelines and tidal zones. Lift them from sand or rocks. Handle crabs carefully by gripping them gently in the center of their shell, especially if they have claws. The pinch of their tiny claws can be surprisingly painful.
For The Love Of Gravy
I am inspired by my love of gravy when making many recipes like my Butter Soaked Biscuits and Gravy on this site, as well as my American Fusion Patty Melt with Mushroom Gravy, and it pairs well with this fantastic side Fresh Cut Green beans with Sauteed Potatoes.
A Symphony of Flavors
I've incorporated the flavors of Low Country-style gravy inspired by roots in Southern Carolina and Georgia cooking. The hickory smoked bacon gravy contrasts taste with the tender white crab meat and crunchy toasted topping. Large pasta shells hold the creamy, cheesy gravy like a tiny bowl full of deliciousness. Top it off with buttered poached Bay shrimp, and you've got one crazy-good mac and cheese sensation.
Ingredients
Use the freshest ingredients you can find. If fresh crab isn't available in your area, you can use canned lump crab. A good quality thick-cut smoked bacon is essential.
- Fresh Corn On The Cob
- Sam's Club Wild Caught Lump Crab Meat.
- Wright Brand Applewood Smoked
Hint: Bake and serve this luscious meal in individual cups for a beautiful tablescape and easy portion control at large parties. I like to use this Recycled Glass with a nautical theme.
Substitutions
- Crab- instead of real crab meat, you can use Tofu, Shredded Jackfruit, or hearts of palm
- Dairy - use dairy-free milk like cashew or oat milk instead of cow and dairy-free cheeses.
- Bacon - the bacon can be replaced with plant-based bacon to make this vegetarian brand, such as Morningstar Farms Veggie Bacon
Variations
- Spicy - add chili pepper flakes while cooking to imbue heat into the dish or even some green chilies to give the dish a southwest twist
- Deluxe - add crispy onions on the top for a rich oniony flavor
Explore my website for a unique version of this dish called 'Not Yo Momma's Tuna Noodle Casserole' with homemade crispy onions.
Jump to RecipeStorage
Store leftover cooked mac and cheese in the refrigerator. Suitable for 2-3 days.
These ingredients stand up well to freezing for 30 days.
Top tip
Best Crab Meat: Make sure to purchase the best crab meat possible! There is nothing worse than a fishy-tasting mac and cheese.
And serve each helping with a steamed crab claw
FAQ
Mac and cheese is a lot older than you think.
The first recognizable recipe for mac and cheese appeared in an early 14th-century cookbook from Italy,
The largest dish of mac and cheese ever made was more than 2,000 pounds.
Mac and Cheese Is an Official Color.
In 1993, Crayola named one of its crayon colors “Macaroni and Cheese.”
It Has Its Own Holiday.
July 14 is National Macaroni and Cheese Day.
Source: Reel Mac and Cheese
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
Pair this meal with a chilled Chardonnay or a cold beer, and raise your fork to the unsung heroes who shaped our lives. Happy Father's Day, Dad!
Country Crab Mac and Cheese with Butter Poached Bay Shrimp
Ingredients
- 1 Box large pasta shells
- 2 ½ cups crab meat pick over to remove shells
- 4 slices good bacon chopped into small pieces
- 4 ½ teaspoons flour
- 2 ½ cups heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 ½ teaspoons minced fresh sage divided
- 1 stick of butter plus 3 tablespoons divided
- 2 ears corn cut from cob
- 2 serrano peppers fine chopped seeds and ribs removed
- 10 gulf shrimp peeled and deveined
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning mix
- juice from ½ lemon
- 2 teaspoon parsley chopped, divided
- ½ cup white cheddar cheese shredded
- ¼ cup yellow mild cheddar
- ¼ cup mozzarella cheese shredded
- ½ -1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 cup panko crumbs
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
- ½ teaspoon paprika
Instructions
- 1. Cook pasta as directed on the box. Drain and run cool water over pasta to stop cooking process.
- Preheat oven to 400 F.
- 2. In a thick bottomed saucepan, brown bacon on high heat, stirring occasionally, until browned.
- 3. Remove bacon to a paper towel. Add corn that has been cut from the cob and 2 chopped serrano peppers to the hot bacon fat. Cook until corn is caramelized/toasted.
- 4. Add 2 tablespoons butter, 4 ½ teaspoons flour, stir constantly for 4 minutes to make roux.
- 5. Add cream, cayenne, sage, salt and pepper.
- 6. Cook over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, add cheeses one at a time and stir after every addition to incorporate and melt the cheese. Sauce will be thick and creamy.
- 7. Pour cooked pasta, cooked bacon and crab meat into the sauce and gently stir to combine.
- 8. Pour mixture into baking pan or small heat proof glass containers.
- 9. Mix panko and parmesan cheese together and sprinkle over pasta. Sprinkle paprika over and bake in the preheated over for 20 minutes or until top is golden brown.
For the Shrimp
- While the pasta is in the oven. Heat 1 stick of salted butter in a medium pan over medium high heat, until butter is bubbly and hot, do not brown. Add peeled deveined shrimp and cook for 3 minutes on one side. Flip shrimp and add parsley, sage and a teaspoon Cajun seasoning, continue cooking 1-2 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove pan from heat and set aside.
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