Crab Mac and Cheese

Bring a large stockpot of heavily salted water (4 liters water + 1 teaspoon kosher salt) to a rolling boil over high heat. Add 225g dry elbow macaroni, stir once with a wooden spoon to prevent sticking, and cook for 6 minutes (2 minutes less than package directions for al dente, as pasta will finish cooking in the oven). Drain pasta thoroughly and set aside; do not rinse the pasta, as residual starch helps the cheese sauce adhere to noodles.

Gently pick through 340g lump crab meat to remove any hidden shell fragments, taking care not to break up large, tender crab lumps; set aside. In a small mixing bowl, combine 60g panko breadcrumbs with 2 tablespoons (28g) melted unsalted butter and 0.25 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning, stirring until crumbs are evenly coated in butter and spice; set aside for topping. Preheat your oven to 190°C (375°F) while you prep the sauce to save time.

Place a large heavy-bottomed Dutch oven or saucepan over medium heat. Add the remaining 4 tablespoons (57g) unsalted butter, and once fully melted and foaming subsides, whisk in 24g all-purpose flour to form a smooth roux. Cook the roux for 2 minutes, whisking constantly, until it turns a pale golden color and gives off a faint nutty aroma, with no raw flour aftertaste remaining.

Slowly stream in the gently warmed 480ml whole milk and 120ml heavy cream while whisking constantly to prevent lumps from forming. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat, cooking for 3-4 minutes until it thickens enough to leave a clear line when you run a finger across the back of a coated spoon. Remove the pan from heat, stir in 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, remaining 0.75 teaspoon Old Bay, 0.5 teaspoon garlic powder, remaining 0.5 teaspoon kosher salt, and 0.25 teaspoon ground black pepper. Fold in 200g shredded sharp white cheddar and 80g shredded Gruyère, stirring until all cheese is fully melted and the sauce is smooth and glossy.

Add the drained, partially cooked elbow macaroni to the pot of cheese sauce, stirring gently with a silicone spatula until every pasta noodle is evenly coated in sauce. Gently fold in 2/3 of the picked lump crab meat (approximately 227g), taking care not to overmix or break up the delicate crab lumps, to keep large, sweet crab pieces evenly distributed throughout the dish.

Transfer the mac and cheese mixture to a greased 2-quart (2L) ceramic baking dish, spreading it into a smooth, even layer. Sprinkle the buttered panko topping evenly over the entire surface, then dot the top with the remaining 1/3 of the lump crab meat (approximately 113g). Bake for 15 minutes in the preheated 190°C (375°F) oven, until the cheese sauce is vigorously bubbling around the dish edges and the panko topping is deep golden and crisp. Remove from the oven, let rest 5 minutes to allow the sauce to set, garnish with 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley, and serve warm.