John Whaite’s Crab & Sriracha Mac ’n’ Cheese
Macaroni cheese has to be up there with everyone's favourite comfort foods. This recipe from John Whaite is enriched with crabmeat and spiced with mustard, Asian chilli sauce and cayenne for maximum flavour.
15 minutes prep, 1 hour cook
Serves 6
Ingredients
400g macaroni
100g butter
100g plain flour
500ml milk
500ml chicken stock
150g Gruyere, finely grated
150g strong Cheddar, finely grated
1 tbsp wholegrain mustard
6 tbsps sriracha sauce, plus extra to serve
1 tsp cayenne pepper
300g white crabmeat
2 tbsps chopped flatleaf parsley
25g breadcrumbs
Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
Cook the macaroni according to the packet instructions, then drain and set aside. Preheat the oven to 200°C/Fan 180°C/Gas 6.
Heat the butter in a large saucepan over a medium-high heat until the butter melts, then stir in the flour using a wooden spoon to make a very thick paste. Allow the paste to cook for a minute until browned slightly, then beat in a ladleful of milk – it will get quickly absorbed, so repeat. When you’ve added all the milk, switch to a whisk and add the stock, a little at a time, whisking to avoid any lumps. As soon as the liquids are incorporated, add the cheeses, reserving a little to sprinkle on top, along with the mustard, sriracha and cayenne pepper. Reduce the heat to a simmer for 10 minutes, then season to taste, remembering that when you add the pasta the seasoning will be diluted, so over-season.
Add the crabmeat, parsley and macaroni to the sauce to combine well and tip into a mediumsized roasting dish. Sprinkle over the reserved cheese and the breadcrumbs and bake for 25–30 minutes until hot and bubbling.
Taken from Comfort by John Whaite (£19.99, Kyle Books) Photography by Nassmia Rothacker
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