Shecky’s

Emeril’s Seafood Mac & Cheese

Even as adults, one of our favorite dishes in the world is a good bowl of mac and cheese. There are so many variations and types that it’s hard to choose just one great recipe. But the taste of those bright orange Kraft noodles is sure to be erased from your memory after you try Emeril’s Seafood Mac and Cheese (on marthastewart.com) on the infamous comfort food, which includes the best elements of classic mac and cheese with a fancy twist. Dig in!

What You’ll Need: Coarse salt and ground pepper, 1 pound elbow macaroni, 6 tablespoons butter, ½ medium onion (finely chopped), 1 garlic clove (minced), ⅓ cup all-purpose flour, 3 cups whole milk, ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1 pound coarsely chopped cooked lobster, shrimp, crawfish or crabmeat (or combo), 4 cups mixed grated cheeses (such as Parmesan, cheddar, Swiss and fontina), ½ cup panko breadcrumbs & ½ teaspoon Emeril’s Creole seasoning.

What You’ll Do: Preheat oven to 400. In large pot, bring salted water to boil and cook macaroni 2 minutes less than al dente. After draining and rinsing, put aside for later. As pasta is cooking, melt butter in saucepan. Transfer 2 tablespoons melted butter to a medium bowl, and reserve. Add onion and garlic to saute until soft. Add flour to pan and cook for 1 minute. Next, add milk and whisk everything together until smooth. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer, cooking until sauce is thick (2 or 3 minutes). Season with a pinch of salt, pepper and nutmeg. Remove from heat and add in seafood, macaroni and cheese (transfer everything to shallow baking dish). Add breadcrumbs and Creole seasoning to bowl with butter. Then, sprinkle the mixture evenly over the dish. Place baking dish on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until topping is golden and sauce is bubbling (about 15 to 20 minutes).

Image Credit: marthastewart.com