Seafood Mac and Cheese

Ingredients for seafood Mac and cheese:

1. freshly ground black pepper and kosher salt
2. Two tsp olive oil
3. two minced garlic cloves
4. One medium yellow onion, finely chopped
5. One pound of lump or blue crabmeat, diced and sifted for shells
6. Half a cup of dry sherry
7. Twice as much unsalted butter
8. One tablespoon of flour for all purposes
9. One pint of thick cream
10. one cup of milk
11. One tablespoon of freshly chopped parsley, with more for sprinkling
12. One tablespoon of freshly chopped tarragon
13. One tablespoon of freshly chopped thyme
14. two tsp finely ground mustard 
15. One tsp of smoky paprika
16. Four ounces of shredded Gruyere (about a cup)
17. About 1 cup or 4 ounces of shredded Parmesan cheese
18. 12 ounces of extra-sharp, shredded yellow cheddar (about 3 cups)
19. One pound of macaroni elbow
20. Four ounces of cream cheese

Directions for seafood  Mac and cheese :

• Start the oven at 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Add one tablespoon of olive oil to a big saucepan of boiling salted water.
• In a large skillet, heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic, and simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring now and again, until they begin to soften. Add the crab and simmer, stirring periodically, for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the crab begins to brown. Pour the skillet’s contents into a basin and put it aside.
• Sherry is used to deglaze the skillet, and it is reduced for roughly five minutes. Melt the butter, then stir in the flour and cook, stirring, until no clumps remain. Add the milk, heavy cream, paprika, tarragon, thyme, mustard, and parsley. Then, whisk in the Gruyere, Parmesan, and eight ounces of cheddar cheese. After bringing to a simmer, reduce the heat, and cook for ten minutes on low. Add pepper and salt for seasoning.
• As you wait, add the noodles to the boiling water and cook them as directed on the package. After setting aside 1 cup of pasta water, drain the noodles and add them back to the saucepan (I prefer to leave a small amount of pasta water in the pot after draining). Mix thoroughly after adding the cream cheese, crab, and cheese sauce. (If the mixture is too thick, stir in 1/4 cup of pasta water at a time.) If necessary, add extra salt and pepper for seasoning.
• Transfer the blend into a 9-by-13-inch baking pan. Evenly distribute the final 4 ounces of cheddar cheese on top. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the cheese is nicely golden. (Take caution—the cheese in the oven can burst.) Before serving, allow it to rest for 15 to 20 minutes. Add a little parsley on top.

Note from the Cook

Prepare the seafood mac and cheese in advance, store it, and then reheat it for 15 to 20 minutes at 200 degrees Fahrenheit.