Crab Macaroni and Cheese

Macaroni and cheese has been around as long as I can remember.  It has always been a crowd pleaser, kid pleaser and also considered one of the ultimate comfort foods.  Probably the most well recognized brand of macaroni and cheese is “the blue box”, Kraft Mac and Cheese.  There have been many other brands that have followed in Kraft’s footsteps and there have also been different types of mac and cheese created, but I believe that Kraft still takes the prize as being the most popular among all age groups. 

You definitely can’t go wrong with the classic mac and cheese, but I’ve seen quite a few recipes that have taken the recipe and spiced it up a bit.  After seeing some of the adaptations, I became very interested in them and wanted to try one myself.  I started looking around for some different recipes and different versions and I came across on from Sauce Magazine that sounded incredible.  This was a recipe for Fonduta Mac ‘n’ Cheese.  After reading the recipe I knew this was the one I had to try, it definitely put an adult spin on a children’s favorite.

I would definitely recommend this recipe to anyone who wants to try something different.  It was so good and it had so many different flavors but they all blended together wonderfully.  As much as I loved this one I will try others and I will try to make a more “normal” homemade macaroni and cheese recipe; but this one will definitely stay in my recipe collection. 

  

Fonduta Mac ‘n’ Cheese

Ingredients:

2 cups fonduta cream (recipe follows)
½ lb. macaroni, penne or bow tie pasta
¼ cup Riesling
½ cup heavy cream 
16 oz. crab meat
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
Bread crumbs

Directions: 

In a 2-quart sauce pot, combine 2 cups fonduta cream, the Riesling and the heavy cream and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat (be careful to not scorch). 
Add the crab meat and simmer for 1 minute or until the crab is heated through; remove from the heat. Swirl in the butter and adjust the seasoning, if necessary. Stir in the cooked pasta. 
Transfer the warm ingredients to a casserole dish. 

Prepare the fonduta cream. 
Cook the pasta according to the package directions. 

Top with the bread crumbs and broil until browned.
 

Fonduta Cream

½ cup minced white onion
4 Tbsp. (½ stick) butter
½ cup all-purpose flour
1 cup Riesling
½ cup 40 percent whipping cream
1½ cups whole milk
¾ lb. cheese; 1/4 gouda, 1/4 cheddar and 1/4 asiago
Pinch mace or fresh nutmeg
Salt and pepper to taste 

Sauté the onion in the butter until softened. 
Stir in the flour and cook over low heat for 5 minutes. 
Add Riesling and whisk to combine. Add the whipping cream and whole milk and bring to a simmer. 
Add the cheese, whisking until melted. 
Season to taste with mace or nutmeg, salt and pepper.

 
Recipe Source: adapted from Sauce Magazine