Crayfish Mac and Cheese

A rich, cheesy, spiced twist on the traditional mac and cheese. A great way to make one cray tail go a long way – with bacon, crayfish, lemon, pasta, and loads of cheese, what’s not to like?

This recipe makes around 2-4 servings depending on whether you’re using it as a side, or the hero on the plate. I enjoyed mine with a Christmas present I received from the awesome team at 3sixty2.

You will need:

• 400g Macaroni
• 1 Leek Chopped
• 4 Rashers Bacon
• Meat of 1 Crayfish Tail
• 1 Tbsp Butter
• 2 Tbsp Self-raising Flour
• 1.5 Cups Whole Milk
• 150g Grated Vintage Cheddar
• Zest of 1 Lemon
• S+P
• 1 Tsp Cajun Spice
• 1/2 Tsp Ground Nutmeg
• Chopped Spring Onion

To make the dish:

1. Get a pot of salted water boiling and cook your macaroni according to the package – set aside
2. In a frying pan, cook your bacon until its crispy, then chop it up into small pieces
3. In the same frying pan, add your leek to the bacon fat and cook until soft
4. Add 1 tbsp of butter and melt/mix through
5. Add 2 tbsp of flour, mix around and cook for a minute
6. Add 1.5 cups whole milk and whisk to avoid clumps, the mixture will thicken
7. Add 1 tsp cajun spice and 1/2 tsp nutmeg and lemon zest – mix through
8. Add 150g grated cheese and mix until you have a smooth creamy sauce
9. Fold through cooked macaroni and crayfish meat
10. Season with S+P to taste
11. Transfer mixture to oven-proof dish and top with bread crumbs
12. Bake at 180c for 10-15mins – give it a quick grill at the end to brown the breadcrumbs
13. Serve with chopped spring onion and your favorite summer wine or beer!