Robert Irvine's Crab Mac and Cheese

Decadent macaroni in a rich three-cheese cream sauce folded with sweet lump crabmeat, as seen on Restaurant: Impossible.

Ingredients

• 1 pound elbow macaroni or cavatappi
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 cups whole milk, warmed
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1 cup shredded Gruyere cheese
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 pound lump crabmeat, picked over
• 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs, toasted
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Cook the pasta in salted boiling water until just shy of al dente; drain.
2. Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat, whisk in the flour, and cook 2 minutes to form a roux.
3. Slowly whisk in the warm milk and cream and cook, whisking, until thickened, about 5 minutes.
4. Off the heat, whisk in the cheddar, Gruyere, Parmesan, Dijon, and cayenne until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Fold in the pasta, then gently fold in the crabmeat to keep the lumps intact.
6. Transfer to a buttered baking dish, top with toasted panko, and bake until bubbling, 15 to 20 minutes.

Notes

Adapted from Robert Irvine’s crab mac and cheese on Restaurant: Impossible.