Baked Crawfish Mac and Cheese

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My baked crawfish mac and cheese is THE ultimate comfort food, I promise!

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Oh my gosh, would it snow already please? I know that sounds insane, but with how cold it has been out I just want to see some pretty white flakes all over the ground instead of brown dirt!

But regardless of what the ground is like outside, comforting home cooking is the name of the game in the kitchen! Today I’m sharing my take on a recipe that classically defines comfort food: macaroni and cheese. My recipe for crawfish mac and cheese kicks it up a notch with tasty Southern flavors and beautifully mouthwatering crawfish!

Related: Mom’s Chicken “Chicky” Pasta

For this recipe, I made a traditional roux to start. I then used a handful of delicious spices to give it a Southern flavor twist, including cayenne, paprika, dried oregano and dried thyme. I love using spices because they are an easy way to pack a big flavor punch without extra calories. Score! After adding dairy and chicken stock and thickening up the sauce base, next comes the cheese! Here I wanted to pack a second flavor punch, and chose creamy gruyere and sharp cheddar cheese.

Next up the noodles get tossed with this beautiful sauce and cooked crawfish. Into the oven with a breadcrumb and Parmesan cheese topping for just under a half an hour and you’ve got a super tasty twist on a classic comfort food recipe!

Related: Creamy Garlic Chicken Pasta

Related: Creamy Balsamic Pasta

Related: Lemon Oregano Chicken Pasta with Sautéed Onions and Bell Peppers

Now it’s your turn: what is your favorite twist on classic macaroni and cheese? Share with me by commenting below!

Baked Crawfish Mac and Cheese

2016-11-13 18:04:52

Serves 4

A spicy southern take on a classic, this crawfish mac and cheese is super creamy and filled with delicious southern flavors!

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Prep Time

20 min

Cook Time

1 hr 10 min

Total Time

1 hr 30 min

Prep Time

20 min

Cook Time

1 hr 10 min

Total Time

1 hr 30 min

Ingredients

1. Nonstick cooking spray

For crawfish

1. 1 tbsp. unsalted butter
2. 1 tbsp. olive oil
3. 8 oz. frozen, cooked and peeled langostino (crawfish tails), thawed and drained
4. 3 tbsp. unsalted butter
5. ¼ cup white onion, minced
6. 2 cloves garlic, minced
7. 3 tbsp. white flour
8. 1 tsp. paprika
9. ½ tsp. cayenne
10. ¼ tsp. dried oregano
11. ¼ tsp. dried thyme
12. 1 tsp. kosher salt
13. ¼ cup white wine
14. 2 cups milk
15. 1 cup chicken stock
16. 1 cup Gruyere cheese, grated
17. 1 cup sharp cheddar, grated
18. 8 oz. macaroni
19. ½ cup Italian breadcrumbs
20. ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
21. ¼ cup parsley, roughly chopped

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Spray a 9x13" baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
3. Melt butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once melted, sauté langostino for just 2-3 minutes until warmed through. Transfer to a large mixing bowl, discarding any liquid that remains in the pan.
4. To make sauce, melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and sauté for 6-8 minutes until translucent. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add flour and spices and stir until combined to create a roux. Deglaze the pan with white wine, stirring to combine. Add milk and chicken stock and bring to a boil. Turn heat down to medium-low and allow to simmer until thickened, about 16-18 minutes. Take sauce off the stove and add Gruyere and cheddar cheese, stirring until the cheese has melted completely.
5. Meanwhile, cook pasta for 2-3 minute less than recommended cooking time. Drain and add to bowl with langostino. Add sauce to the bowl and stir until evenly coated. Transfer macaroni and cheese to prepared baking dish.
6. In a small bowl, mix together breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese until combined. Sprinkle over top of the macaroni and cheese. Cover baking dish with tin foil and bake in heated oven for 25 minutes. Remove tin foil and turn on broiler to high. Broil for 2-3 minutes until breadcrumb topping is crispy brown but not burnt. Serve with fresh parsley and a side salad. Enjoy!

The Charming Detroiter http://thecharmingdetroiter.com/

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