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Saturday, September 13, 2014

Shrimp Mac and Cheese

Photo courtesy of the Cooking Corner.

     One of my favorite comfort foods is mac and cheese. Over the years I've found a few ways to make this (from scratch). After watching a TV show that featured lobster mac and cheese, I decided to try it with shrimp. There was some left in the freezer from another food experiment, so this was a great way to use it. The mac and cheese was rich and creamy and the crumb topping was a nice texture contrast. Of course, the little shrimp bites were the best hidden ingredient.

Shrimp Mac and Cheese
1/2 stick butter
2 cloves garlic
1/2 lb. raw shrimp
1 cup milk
1/8 cup flour
1/4 tsp. Old Bay seasoning
1 cup colby jack cheese, shredded
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
white pepper
Shrimp mac and cheese with dinner.
salt
2-3 cups water
1 cup small shell pasta
3 T.  panko (or bread) crumbs
2 T. melted butter

Spray coat a small baking dish.


In medium pot add water until 2/3 full. Bring to boil and add pasta. Cook 5-6 minutes until a la dente (just done, but slightly firm). Drain, reserving one cup of cooking liquid.


In medium saucepan, heat butter over medium low heat. Add garlic and cook stirring constantly for 1-2 minutes. Sprinkle with 1/8 tsp. Old Bay seasoning, stirring well.


Sprinkle remaining Old Bay on shrimp and add to saucepan. Cook in garlic butter about 2-3 minutes, just until shrimp begins to slightly turn pink. (Do not walk away, do not let them cook through or you'll have rubber wads.) Remove shrimp from pan and set aside.


Sprinkle flour over melted butter and stir until combined. Slowly add milk, stirring well until it slightly thickens, about 3-4 minutes. Add shredded cheeses, stirring constantly until well mixed.


Remove pan from heat, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pour in drained pasta. Add a little more of the reserved cooking liquid until desired thickness and creaminess. (I used about 1/4 cup.)


Stir in shrimp until well combined. Pour into baking dish. Sprinkle with Panko and drizzle melted butter over top.


Heat broiler and cook until top is golden, about 3-4 minutes. Serves 4-6.

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