There are an abundance of Mac & Cheese recipes on the internet, but this one is a little different and abundance stunning. The base Mac & Cheese oozes Cheese goodness, then topped off with shrimp marinaded with a simple Cajun seasoning that seeps into the Mac & Cheese while it bakes. This results in the most delicious bite you could imagine.
Ingredients:
- 200g macaroni pasta
- 50g butter
- 50g flour
- 2 – 3 measuring cups whole milk
- Fresh ground black pepper
- 240g shrimps
- 1.5 tbsp Cajun seasoning
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 350g mature cheddar cheese
- 250g double Gloucester cheese
- 1 measuring cup Grana Padana cheese
Method:
- In a bowl, marinate the shrimp with the Cajun seasoning and smoked paprika. Leave to marinate for 30 minutes.
- Cook the macaroni for according to packet instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- In a saucepan, melt the butter and add the flour, whisking into a paste. Cook this for 1 to 2 minutes over a medium heat until a nutty brown colour.
- Make sure the milk is at room temperature. Pour a little milk into the pan, whisking all the time. Add more milk and whisk. Keep doing this until you have used up all the milk and you have a smooth consistency of bechamel sauce. You can use between 2 to 3 cups depending on how saucy you want the cheese sauce to be.
- Take this off the heat and add 150g of the mature cheddar, 150g of the double Gloucester and 1/2 cup of the Grana Padana. Stir through until all the cheeses have melted in.
- Pour the drained macaroni into the bechamel and mix thoroughly.
- In a 13 by 9 baking dish, pour half of the macaroni mix in and spread out evenly. Sprinkle on 100g cheddar and 50g double Gloucester. Pour on the rest of the macaroni mix. Sprinkle on 100g cheddar and 50g double Gloucester.
- Neatly lay the shrimps on top of the Mac & Cheese and press them gently into it, but not all the way. Sprinkle the remaining Grana Padana on top of the Mac & Cheese.
- Cover with foil and bake in a preheated oven at 160C for 20 mins.
- Remove the foil and bake for another 5-10 minutes. You can grill the top for a few minutes if you want an even more crispier top. Ensure the shrimp are cooked through.
Tips:
- Make sure you don’t over cook the pasta as they will cook further in the oven.
- Adjust the cooking times if your shrimp are larger.
- You can substitute the shrimp for small pieces of cubed chicken thighs. Just make sure they are cooked through thoroughly.