Seafood and Mac n
Cheese, what a combo. You and your family will want this once a week!
You’ll Need:
1 Pound Penne Pasta or Large Elbow Pasta
3 Cups Whole Milk
2 Cups Half & Half
1 Tablespoon Butter
2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
¼ Cup Onion, diced
1 Tablespoon Fresh Thyme, chopped
1 to 2 Cloves Fresh Garlic, finely minced
3 Level Tablespoons All Purpose Flour
To Taste Kosher Salt
To Taste Black Pepper
To Taste or 1 to 2 Tablespoons Grand Diamond All Purpose
Seasoning
To Taste or 2 to 3 Teaspoons of Hot Sauce or Tabasco
1 to 2 Teaspoons Liquid Crab Boil
3 Cups of Gouda Cheese or Monterey Jack Cheese, grated
3 Cups of Muenster Cheese or Mild Cheddar Cheese, grated
1 Cup of Gruyere Cheese, grated
1 Pound Shrimp, raw, deveined, tail removed, Size 14-16 or
31-40
½ to ¾ Pound Lobster, raw or pre-steamed, chopped into
chunks
½ to ¾ Pound Lump Crab, your choice
This dish works well with store-bought steamed/precooked
lobster and your choice of lump crab meat.
First, prepare, cut, and dice all of the ingredients. Toss
all of the cheeses together in a large mixing basin.
Season the shrimp and lobster with salt and pepper. Place
aside.
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Bring 3 quarts of water to a boil over high heat in a large
stock pot.
3 tablespoons salt should be added to the boiling water.
Cook until just al dente, or 2 minutes less than the
package's recommended cooking time.
Drain the pasta but DO NOT rinse it, and mix it with 1 or 2
tablespoons of olive oil or vegetable oil to keep it from sticking together
while the sauce cooks. Preheat the milk and half and half in the microwave for
3 to 4 minutes. Next, combine the butter and olive oil in a large pan over
medium-high heat. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the onions are tender. Cook
for about 2 minutes after adding and stirring in the flour. Cook for another
minute after adding the chopped garlic and thyme. Then, while constantly
whisking, add all of the milk mixtures to the roux.
When it's smooth, reduce the heat to medium. To taste,
season with salt, pepper, Grand Diamond All Purpose Seasoning, hot sauce, and
optional liquid crab boil.
Cook for 5–8 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened. To
keep it from sticking, whisk it occasionally.
After that, add 3 cups of the shredded cheese to the sauce
(save 4 cups for stacking), remove from the heat, and stir just until the
cheese melts and the sauce is blended. Incorporate the drained spaghetti.
Pour half of the macaroni and cheese into a lightly sprayed
913 baking dish. Place the first layer of seafood on top, using half of each.
2 cups of the saved cheese should be sprinkled on top.
Repeat the stacking of macaroni and cheese, followed by the layering of
seafood, and finish with the remaining 2 cups of cheese.
Cook at 350°F for 30 minutes, COVERED with aluminum foil.
Step 16: Remove the cover and bake for another 10 minutes, or until the cheese
is completely melted and the seafood is fully cooked. Serve immediately.