Langostino and Pimiento Skillet Mac and Cheese

Hello and welcome to Djalali Cooks. Let’s kick this week off with everyone’s favorite comfort food: Macaroni and Cheese. But we are going to make it a little fancy. I found cooked, frozen langostino tails when I went to Trader Joe’s this week, and I thought they would be a perfect addition to this skillet mac and cheese. So let’s get to it: Langostino and Pimiento Skillet Mac and Cheese!

Langostino

What is a langostino you ask? Well it’s kinda like a tiny lobster. The word langostino is Spanish and it roughly translates to “prawn” or “little lobster.” Interestingly though, a langostino is neither a true prawn or lobster. It is actually more closely related to a hermit crab. The tail meat of the langostino is texturally more like shrimp, but the flavor is just like lobster. So langostino tails are a perfect way to make a “lobster-like” mac and cheese, for less cost and easier preparation.

I defrosted the bag of langostino tails in the fridge overnight. Since they are already cooked, I am only going to sauté them in a little butter and olive oil with the diced sweet onion, some salt and pepper for a couple minutes. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and bring a large pot of water to a boil.

Melt a pat of butter with some olive oil and add the diced onion. When the onion starts to become translucent, add the langostino tails, sprinkle with a pinch of Kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper. Sauté for only a minute or two and then use a slotted spoon to transfer the langostino tails and onions to a small bowl and set aside.

Cheese Sauce

Once the langostino tails and onions are transferred out of the skillet, turn off the heat under the skillet. Add the cayenne, dry mustard and salt to two cups of whole milk or half and half. Whisk in the spices and set aside. Turn the heat back on under the skillet, to medium. Add two tablespoons of salted butter to the skillet and melt it with the leftover liquid from the onions and langostino tails. When the butter is melted, sprinkle 3 tablespoons of flour into the butter and whisk to make a roux. Let cook, while stirring for 30 seconds.

Then whisk in the milk mixture. Cook while stirring the milk mixture until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 3-5 minutes.

By now your water should boiling, so cook the pasta – I like to use Cavatappi in place of elbow macaroni. Cook the pasta just short of al dente, about 7 minutes. While the pasta is cooking, remove the cream sauce from heat and add two cups of fresh grated sharp cheddar cheese. Stir to combine and melt the cheese. Then add the drained, rinsed pimientos. Drain the pasta.

Stir in the langostino tails and onions to the cheese sauce. Then add the cooked, drained pasta to the cheese sauce and langostino tails.

Skillet Mac and Cheese

In a small bowl, mix one tablespoon of olive oil and garlic powder with 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs. Sprinkle the panko mixture over the top of the Langostino and Pimiento Skillet Mac and Cheese.

Bake the skillet mac and cheese, on the center rack, for 15 minutes, until the cheese sauce is bubbling. Then switch the oven to broil – leave the skillet on the center rack and broil for 2-3 minutes, until the panko crumb mixture is golden brown.

Top the baked Langostino and Pimiento Skillet Mac and Cheese with chopped parsley and serve!

It’s impossible not to love a skillet mac and cheese; its crispy, crunchy topping gives way to creamy, cheesy sauce and bouncy pasta. The langostino tails are a buttery sweet lobster-like addition, giving a great texture combination. The pimientos bring their mild sweetness, adding another gentle layer of flavor that is right at home with the cheesy sauce and sweet langostino tails.

Thank you so much for joining me today, I do hope you give my take on skillet mac and cheese a try! Reach out to me on Instagram, Facebook, or send me an email right from my Say Hello page to let me know how this one goes for you. Take care and be well, everyone. xo Kelly

Print Recipe

Langostino and Pimiento Skillet Mac and Cheese

(2 votes, average: 4.00 out of 5)

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Dinner, Main Course, side dish – American

By Kelly Djalali – Serves: 2-4

Prep Time: 15 Minutes – Cooking Time: 15-18 Minutes – Total Time: ~30 Minutes

Crispy panko crust gives way to a creamy cheese sauce, bouncy pasta, sweet langostino tails and mild sweet pimientos – an elevated skillet mac and cheese.

Ingredients

• 1 12-ounce package cooked Langostino Tails
• 1/2 small sweet onion, diced
• Pat of Salted Butter
• 1/2 tbsp. Olive Oil
• 1 tsp. of Kosher salt, divided
• 1/2 tsp. Black Pepper, divided
• 2 tbsp. Salted Butter
• 3 tbsp. All Purpose Flour
• 2 cups Whole Milk or Half and Half
• 1 tsp. Dry Mustard
• 1/4 tsp. Cayenne Pepper
• 2 cups Fresh grated Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese
• 1 4-oz. jar Diced Pimientos, drained and rinsed
• 8 oz. Elbow Macaroni or Cavatappi Pasta
• 3/4 cup Panko Breadcrumbs
• 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
• 1-2 tbsp. Chopped Parsley, for garnish

Instructions

1

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and bring a large pot of water to a boil.

2

Melt a pat of butter with some olive oil and add the diced onion. When the onion starts to become translucent, add the langostino tails, sprinkle with a pinch of Kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper. Sauté for only a minute or two and then use a slotted spoon to transfer the langostino tails and onions to a small bowl and set aside. Turn off the heat.

3

Add the cayenne, dry mustard and salt to two cups of whole milk or half and half. Whisk in the spices and set aside.

4

Turn the heat to medium under the skillet. Add two tablespoons of salted butter to the skillet and melt it with the leftover liquid from the onions and langostino tails. When the butter is melted, sprinkle 3 tablespoons of flour into the butter and whisk to make a roux. Let cook, while stirring for 30 seconds.

5

Whisk in the milk mixture. Cook while stirring the milk mixture until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 3-5 minutes.

6

Cook the pasta just short of al dente, about 7 minutes.

7

While the pasta is cooking, remove the cream sauce from heat and add two cups of fresh grated sharp cheddar cheese. Stir to combine and melt the cheese. Then add the drained, rinsed pimientos. Drain the pasta.

8

Stir in the langostino tails and onions to the cheese sauce. Then add the cooked, drained pasta to the cheese sauce and langostino tails. Stir to coat the pasta in the cheese sauce.

9

In a small bowl, mix one tablespoon of olive oil and garlic powder with 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs.

10

Sprinkle the panko mixture over the top of the Skillet Mac and Cheese.

11

Bake the skillet mac and cheese, on the center rack, for 15 minutes, until the cheese sauce is bubbling. Then switch the oven to broil – leave the skillet on the center rack and broil for 2-3 minutes, until the panko crumb mixture is golden brown.

12

Top the baked skillet mac and cheese with chopped parsley.