Carron Harris
Senior Director, Culinary
Papa Murphy’s Pizza

Barilla® Thai Red Curry Shrimp Mac & Cheese

Recipe courtesy of Carron Harris
Sponsor: Barilla for Professionals

Servings: 8

Ingredients

Red Curry Cheese Sauce:

• 4 oz unsalted butter
• 1 Tbsp grated ginger
• 2 Tbsp minced lemongrass
• 1 Tbsp minced garlic
• 2 Tbsp minced shallot
• ½ c all-purpose flour
• 3 c lobster stock
• 6 oz Thai red curry paste
• 2 Tbsp fish sauce
• 2 c half & half
• 8 oz Cheddar cheese, shredded

Shrimp:

• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 lb 21/25 count peeled, deveined, tail-off shrimp
• ¼ c minced garlic
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp ground black pepper

Pasta and Garnish:

• 2 lb Barilla Frozen^® Elbow Macaroni
• ½ c sliced green onions
• ½ c peanuts, roasted and chopped

Directions

Red Curry Cheese Sauce:

1. Melt the butter in an 8-qt pot. Add the ginger, lemongrass, garlic and shallots and sauté until tender, about 3 minutes.
2. Add the flour to make a roux and cook for another 3 minutes.
3. Slowly add the lobster stock to the roux, stirring to ensure lumps are removed.
4. Add the Thai red curry paste and fish sauce. Whisk until incorporated.
5. Add in the half & half and bring to a simmer.
6. Stir in the cheese and whisk until melted. Remove from heat.

Shrimp:

1. In a sauté pan, heat the oil and sauté the shrimp and garlic until cooked through. Season with the salt and pepper.

Pasta and Garnish:

1. Cook the pasta in boiling salted water for 1 minute, then drain. Toss pasta with the Red Curry Cheese Sauce and half of the cooked shrimp.
2. To plate, put pasta on a plate or bowl, top with some of the remaining shrimp, and garnish with green onions and peanuts.

Chef Notes

I am always trying to find interesting ways to play up mac & cheese. The ginger, garlic and lemongrass bring subtle yet flavorful accents to amp up the Thai red curry. For this mac & cheese, the Cheddar is in the background. Along with the half & half, it gives the whole sauce that cheesy and creamy texture. Although it is typically not Italian to put cheese with seafood, I love the shrimp with the Thai curry. After all, this is truly a marriage of Thai and Italian mashed into one All-American dish!

Project Management: Summit F&B
Photography: Carlos Garcia // Food Styling: Peg Blackley