Crab mac ‘n’ cheese bake

This seafood twist on a family classic is a regular on our café menu, and it’s easy to make at home. It’s a great way to introduce kids to crab, one of our most sustainable shellfish.

When buying crab, buy freshly picked meat from a fishmonger and check it’s British brown crab that has been pot-caught. Serve with the rocket salad, below.

SERVES 6-8 PREP 15 mins COOK 40 mins

100g butter, plus extra for greasing 500g macaroni 100g flour 1 litre milk 200g mature cheddar, grated 1 tbsp Dijon mustard 1 tbsp tomato ketchup 1 tsp cayenne pepper or Tabasco

sauce 150g fresh, brown crabmeat FOR THE CRAB TOPPING 150g white crabmeat 100g crème fraîche juice 1/ 2 lemon

1/ 2 small pack dill, finely chopped 1 Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6 and grease a medium baking dish. Cook the macaroni following pack instructions. 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. 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. 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. 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 (below). 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. PER SERVING (8) 623 kcals • fat 29g • saturates 17g • carbs 61g • sugars 8g • fibre 3g • protein 28g • salt 1.4g