use real butter

Recipe: crab porcini mac and cheese

July and August meld together for me as one long hot month. I tend to put my head down and muddle through with a lot of ice water, watermelon, and popsicles. But August 1 always stands out as it is Kris’ birthday. She would have turned 54 on Saturday. I arranged flowers, made somen noodle soup, and called my mother to cheer her up.

miss you, love you

Our big excitement was getting out to see comet Neowise in mid-July. Skies were touch and go in the evenings thanks to a sudden influx of moisture and clouds over Colorado. But mountain weather keeps you on your toes and we were able to see the comet with the unaided eye! I photographed it from various locations with decent dark skies. I hope many of you were able to get out to view the comet, but if not, here are a couple of my captures.

close-up of comet neowise and two distinct tails (the white dust tail and the blue ion tail)

neowise reflected in the lake as it set behind the mountains

Did I mention it was hot? It’s still hot and it’s getting hotter this week. On those days that we didn’t venture out on the trails to let the pups wade through cold mountain streams, we thought they might enjoy some baby pool time. We hadn’t pulled the pool out in 5 years (since Neva was a wee pup and peed in the pool) and were curious to see how Yuki reacted to this concept. She seemed leery of it at first, then fascinated, then took to jumping in and out of the pool with an occasional pause to quench her thirst (from the pool). It was like a giant water dish she could stand in and simultaneously take a swig from.

what the hecc?

a moment of blissful stillness

When we hiked into the high country, we sought out solitude, views, wildflowers, wildlife, and swimming holes. With so many putting their typical summer activities on hold due to the pandemic, our mountain trails have been inundated with throngs of people – plenty of whom aren’t wearing masks or respecting physical distance. Instead of dealing with that idiocy, we’ve been frequenting the lesser known local trails and tackling home tasks that have been on the to-do list forever. Our guest room is now a second office since no one should visit us while the pandemic is ongoing.

yuki side-eye and a view

mountain meadows sprinkled with color

magenta paintbrush

larkspur

lounging moose

neva dives in while yuki looks on

And it looks as if it might be porcini season. Even the mushrooms appear to be uncertain about this year. I can’t really blame them as much of the state is in drought and last year’s astounding flush is a tough act to follow.

found this early bolter all alone

Still, if there are any porcini to be found and foraged, I have lots of recipes for them. I made this crab porcini macaroni and cheese last summer with my abundant haul. This rich and decadent dish goes a long way, which means you might get to enjoy the leftovers the following day. Use whatever pasta shape you like. Macaroni works, of course, but I happen to like small shells, penne, or pipe rigate (pictured below), too. I realize fresh porcini can be difficult to find, so you can substitute whatever edible mushroom you like.

pepper, milk, cheddar, bread crumbs, salt, gruyère, pasta, butter, flour

crab legs, fresh thyme, fresh porcini

Shred the cheeses, clean and dice your mushrooms, boil the pasta, chop the thyme, and shell the crab if needed. Here I’ve used snow crab legs, but I have also made this with lump blue crab, and the original recipe calls for Dungeness crab. Prepare your mushrooms by sautéing them in butter. Even though I don’t wash my porcini in water (I brush them clean and wipe them with a damp paper towel), the mushrooms still have a high water content such that a lot of liquid is released when they are cooked. You can reduce the liquid by tossing the mushrooms into a hot pan and dry sautéing them until most of the water evaporates, then adding butter to brown the mushrooms. Or you can melt the butter in the pan first, then add the mushrooms. The water gets released as you sauté and will eventually simmer away. Both methods work.

shredded, diced, chopped, and shelled

sauté the mushrooms

cooked mushrooms, bite-size chunks of crab, pasta cooked al dente

Now on to the béchamel sauce. Warm the milk in a small saucepan and keep it warmed on low heat while you melt the butter in a large pot (I used the pot that the pasta was boiled in). When the butter begins to foam, whisk the flour into the hot butter and keep stirring it over medium or medium-low heat for a couple of minutes to make a white roux. Pour the hot milk into the roux in a slow stream while whisking constantly. If you add the milk all at once, the sauce becomes lumpy and it is hard to work the lumps out. Stir and cook the sauce for another 2 minutes until it becomes smooth and thick. Turn off the heat and stir in the cheeses and seasonings until incorporated, then add the crab, mushrooms, and pasta.

stir flour into the melted butter

whisk the milk into the roux

stir the cheeses and seasonings into the sauce

add the crab, porcini, and pasta

At this point, you can pour all of the mac and cheese into a medium baking dish (9×9-inch works) or divide it among smaller oven-proof ramekins for individual servings. Whichever way you do it, if the vessels are filled to the rims, then do yourself a favor and set them on a baking sheet to catch sauce as it bubbles over. I line my baking sheet with foil for ease of clean up. Top the mac and cheese with bread crumbs and fresh thyme, then bake for 30-35 minutes at 375°F or until the tops become golden and bubbly.

sprinkle bread crumbs on top

let’s bake!

golden tops

Some summer days it feels way too hot to turn the oven on or cook anything over a hot stove. But this – this would be worth it. Creamy, funky, buttery, rich, cheesy, and oh so satisfying – this is dinner party worthy fare. Seeing as we’re in a pandemic, maybe just keep it all to yourself (or yourselves). It works as a side dish, main attraction, or midnight indulgence. I won’t judge.

serve hot and with love

Crab Porcini Mac and Cheese
[print recipe]
from La Crema

2 tbsps unsalted butter
10.5 oz. fresh porcini mushrooms, large dice
sea salt
1/2 lb. uncooked pasta (elbow macaroni or short pasta)
2 cups whole milk
3 tbsps unsalted butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups Gruyère cheese, shredded
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
pinch ground nutmeg
1 lb. cooked crab meat
1/2 cup toasted bread crumbs
2 tsps fresh thyme, chopped

Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a sauté pan over medium-high heat. When the butter begins to bubble, add the diced porcini and sauté. The mushrooms will give up some liquid. Let the liquid boil off and continue to sauté until the mushrooms just start to brown. Remove from pan and set aside. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and boil for 6-8 minutes until al dente. Drain the pasta and set aside.

Preheat oven to 375°F.

In a small saucepan, heat the milk on low heat. Melt 3 tablespoons of butter over medium heat in the pot you used to cook the pasta. When the butter begins to bubble, whisk the flour into the butter and reduce the heat to medium-low. Stir for about 2 minutes. Slowly whisk the hot milk into the mixture and cook for 1-2 minutes until it is thickened and smooth. Remove from heat. Stir in the cheeses, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Stir in the crab, cooked porcini, and the pasta.

Pour the mac and cheese into an 8×8-inch or similarly sized baking dish or divvy among smaller baking ramekins. Sprinkle the tops with bread crumbs and fresh thyme. I set the dish or ramekins on a foil-lined baking sheet to catch any overflow during baking. Bake 30-35 minutes until the tops are browned and bubbling. Serve hot. Serves 4-6.

more goodness from the use real butter archives

fresh porcini mushroom pasta

corn and porcini fritters

italian marinated porcini mushrooms

mac and cheese (two ways)

August 3rd, 2020: 11:07 pm
filed under appetizers, baking, cheese, dairy, dinner, entertaining, foraging, mushrooms, pasta, recipes, savory, seafood