Crab Mac n’ Cheese

2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated

2 cups Gruyere cheese, grated

1/2 cup Parmesan, grated

1/4 cup Asiago, grated                                                                                        

1/4 Pecorino cheese, grated

¼ cup flour

1/2 tablespoon cayenne

1 teaspoon nutmeg

6 tablespoons butter

4 cups whole milk

2 whole bay leaves

salt & pepper to taste

1 pound jumbo lump crab meat, cleaned

1 cup roma tomatoes, diced

1 cup bell pepper, diced

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 pound dry macaroni

How to make it:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and butter a 13 x 9 glass baking dish, set aside.

Over medium heat boil the macaroni until al dente.

In a small bowl whisk the nutmeg and cayenne with flour. Over medium high heat in a dutch oven, or large stock pot, melt 6 tablespoons of butter  Add the flour mixture to the butter, stirring continously for about a minute. The reux will have a brown tinge of color due to the cayenne, but do not allow the flour to “brown”. Gradually whisk in the milk, drop in the bay leaves and bring to simmer. Cook and stir until the sauce thickens, approx. four or five minutes. Add in 1 ½ cups of the sharp cheddar and Gruyere. As well as ¼ cup Parmesan, all of the Asiago and Pecorino into sauce.

Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove the bay leaves, add the in pasta to the sauce and set aside.

In a skillet over medium high heat, saute the tomato and bell pepper just until soft, not mushy. Making sure that most of the liquid from the tomato has evaporated. Gently stir in crab meat and the tomato bell pepper mix. Pour the crab mac n’ cheese into the prepared dish, sprinkle with

reserved cheeses and bake for 35 – 40 minutes until golden brown and bubbly.