What started as an idea for an elevated mac-n-cheese dish, that would include decadent ingredients changing out on a rotating basis, soon turned into a Kiawah Island staple, says Executive Chef Doug Blair, about their now infamous Prosciutto-Crab Mac-N-Cheese. “It originated as something that I wanted to change constantly,” says Blair. “The success was almost a curse, because every time we tried something new with the dish, Members always requested the original.”

Blair debuted the dish in 2002. Meant as pub fare for one of Kiawah Island Club’s favorite dining rooms, the dish has held on strong since at Voysey’s––the farm-to-table restaurant at Cassique––even being highlighted in a prominent cookbook highlighting recipes from prestigious golf and club communities from around the U.S.

For those who have yet to visit, and others that can’t wait to return, this recipe is sure to bring the ‘taste of Kiawah’ home!

PROSCIUTTO-CRAB MAC-N-CHEESE

Sauce

2 oz. whole butter
1 oz. AP flour
2 ¾ Tablespoons shellfish demi glacé (shrimp, lobster or crab), this strength is 3 qts stock reduced to 8 ounces
1 pt whole milk
1/4 ea whole nutmeg, shaved on a micro planed
¼ t cayenne pepper
1/3 C  Jarlsberg cheese, grated
1/3 C  white extra sharp aged cheddar, grated
1/3 C  yellow sharp cheddar grated
1/3 C Pepper jack grated

Assembly

4 oz. dried tubetti pasta
1 lb.  jumbo lump crab
6 thin slices of San Danielle prosciutto, julienned
1  ea medium sweet yellow onion, julienned and caramelized in canola oil on low heat to cook evenly, stirring frequently
2 oz. Jarlsberg cheese, grated
2 oz. aged extra sharp white cheddar, grated
2 oz. sharp yellow cheddar grated
2 oz. pepper jack grated

Bread Crumb Topping

1/2 C. Japanese (panko) breadcrumbs
2 Tablespoons melted butter
1 teaspoon chopped chervil
1 teaspoon chopped chive
1 teaspoon chopped dill
1 teaspoon chopped parsley

• Melt ½ butter in a pan, then whip in flour to make a roux.  The consistency should be like creamy peanut butter.  Cook roux over medium heat for 15 minutes.
• Heat milk and shellfish glacé together to just under a simmer, add to roux whipping constantly until incorporated.  Let simmer for 20 minutes, then season with cayenne and nutmeg and remove from heat. 
• After removing from heat, stir in the four cheeses gradually starting with the pepper jack, until cheese is completely melted, resulting in smooth cheese sauce. Do not return to stove to heat at this point to avoid a grainy texture.
• While cheese sauce is being made, boil tubetti in salted water until al dente.  When pasta is done, add it to cheese sauce stir and season with salt and black pepper to taste.
• Fold in crab and place entire mixture in a large casserole dish.  Sprinkle the 2 oz. of each grated cheese, then the crispy prosciutto and then the caramelized onions on top of Mac. Cover with plastic wrap then foil and bake at 350° for 15 minutes. (If baking from a cold state, this cooking time needs to be 40 minutes)  While Mac is baking, melt the 2 tablespoons of butter in a sauté pan and add panko crumbs. Stir with rubber spatula until evenly coated with butter.  Add the chopped herbs and season to taste with salt and black pepper.

When Mac has baked for 15 minutes, remove plastic and foil and scatter and breadcrumbs evenly across top.  Return to oven for 5 minutes until breadcrumbs brown evenly and the surface is bubbling.