Rocket with a charred lemon dressing
A light, zesty salad, ideal for balancing a rich main course such as mac 'n' cheese or lasagne
Crab mac 'n' cheese bake
- Preparation and cooking time
- Prep:
- Cook:
- More effort
- Serves 6 - 8
Skip to ingredients
- 100g butterplus extra for greasing
- 500g macaroni
- 100g flour
- 1l milk
- 200g mature cheddargrated
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp tomato ketchup
- 1 tsp cayenne pepperor Tabasco sauce
- 150g fresh, brown crabmeat
For the crab topping
- 150g white crabmeat
- 100g crème fraîche
- juice ½ lemon
- ½ small pack dillfinely chopped
Nutrition: per serving (8)
- kcal623
- fat29g
- saturates17g
- carbs61g
- sugars8g
- fibre3g
- protein28g
- salt1.4g
Method
step 1
Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6 and grease a medium baking dish. Cook the macaroni following pack instructions.
step 2
Meanwhile, melt the butter in a thick-bottomed pan and add the flour to make a thick paste, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon. Add the milk, little by little, to the paste, mixing until smooth. Cook over a medium heat, stirring continuously until the mixture thickens.
step 3
Remove from the heat, add 150g cheese and whisk until smooth. Mix in the mustard, ketchup and cayenne. Drain the macaroni and return to the pan. Stir the cheese sauce into the cooked pasta, fold in the brown crabmeat and season.
step 4
Spoon the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining 50g cheese on top and bake in the oven for 25-30 mins until heated through. Remove from the oven and stand for 10 mins.
step 5
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine all the ingredients for the crab topping with some seasoning. Serve a big spoonful on top of each portion of the bake, then scatter over the dressed rocket (see 'Goes well with'). If making ahead, cool completely and leave in the fridge overnight. The next day, cut into slabs and reheat (covered in foil) for 10 mins in the oven at 200C/180C fan/gas 6.
