Pledge Drive

I was flipping channels a few nights ago and came across the KCTS pledge drive. What stopped me was the head chef from Salty's was making the restaurant's dungeness crab mac'n'cheese. This recipe, unlike many of the other recipes I've made, is not a bechamel based sauce. This one is very simple. This one is just heavy cream, a few different types of cheese, crab and pasta. According to the chef it should only take 10 minutes to make.

What I'm most curious about is what substituting can crab will do to this recipe.

Serves 4

Ingredients:
12 ounces elbow macaroni
1/4 cup white cheddar, shredded
1/4 cup gruyère cheese, shredded
3/4 pound Dungeness crab meat

Cream base:
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup chèvre cheese - Cypress Grove Fromage Blanc only (if you can’t find this cheese – double the cream cheese)
1/2 cup cream cheese1 teaspoon salt
pinch white pepper

Breadcrumb topper:
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated parmesan1 teaspoon granulated garlic
1/2 cup Italian parsley, chopped

Garnish:
3 ounces arugula
1tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon olive oil
salt to taste

Preheat oven to broil

Prepare pasta:
In large soup pot cook pasta according to package directions. Drain in colander and set aside.

Prepare Cream Base:
In medium sauce pan over medium heat add heavy cream and heat. Add chèvre cheese and cream cheese and mix thoroughly. Set aside.

Prepare Breadcrumb topper:
Mix all ingredients in small bowl. Set aside.

Prepare garnish:
In small bowl toss arugula with lemon juice, olive oil and salt.

Return drained pasta to large soup pot. Add cream base and heat over medium heat until hot. Add white cheddar and gruyère cheese. Fold in crab. Pour mixture into shallow casserole dish. Sprinkle breadcrumb topper over pasta. Place in oven and broil until golden brown. Remove from oven. Top with arugula and serve immediately.

http://www.saltys.com/