Recipe courtesy of Red Hook Lobster Pound.
Directions for: Lobster Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
Quick Lobster Stock2 leeks
2 sprigs thyme
2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp Old Bay seasoning
1 cup white wine
5 1 lb(s) lobsters
Cheese Sauce6 Tbsp butter
cup flour
4 cups milk
6 oz Gruyere, grated
3 oz mild Cheddar, grated
10 oz Asiago, grated
8 oz mascarpone
pinch nutmeg, grated
salt and pepper
Noodles1 cup Quick Lobster Stock (above)
14 oz elbow macaroni
Lobster Mac and Cheesecooked lobsters (from Quick Lobster Stock, above)
Noodles (above)
Cheese Sauce (above)
2 Tbsp butter
1 cups panko breadcrumbs
2 Tbsp lemon zest
1 Tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
Directions
Quick Lobster Stock1. In a large pot, bring 4 inches of water to a rolling boil. Add all stock ingredients except for the lobster. Boil for 2-3 minutes.
2. Add the lobsters, cover, and keep at a rolling boil for 10 minutes.
3. Remove the lobsters and let them restdrain into a container that can catch their juices, sometimes cracking the lobsters at this stage encourages more juice to be released.
4. Add their juices to the broth, then strain the broth through a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth and replace in the pot. Reduce until there is about 6 cups of liquid left.
Cheese Sauce1. Melt the butter and sieve in the flour, cooking on low heat for one minute. Heat the milk and stock and add it slowly to the butter and flour (creating a roux), cooking over low heat for 10 minutes, stirring until its thick.
2. When the cheese sauce is thick enough that it coats a spoon, add the grated Gruyere, Cheddar, Asiago, mascarpone and nutmeg. Add salt and pepper to taste, take off heat and let rest.
Noodles1. While making the Cheese Sauce, bring the remaining stock (add a bit of water if needed) to a boil and cook the noodles for 3 minutes (until half-cooked).
Lobster Mac and Cheese1. Preheat the oven to 350F.
2. Pick the meat from the lobsters (tail, claw, knuckle, and bodies if you are so inclined), rinse off the lobster tamales. Clean and chop the tails into -inch pieces. Do not chop the claws.
3. Drain the noodles, combine with the cheese sauce and lobster meat, and check the seasoning.
4. Grease a 9-x-14-inch gratin pan, pour in the mac and cheese mixture. Try to spread the lobster evenly in the pan. Set aside.
5. Melt the butter in a pan. Add the panko crumbs, lemon zest and chopped thyme and cook for a few minutes on medium heat while stirring to bring out flavour.
6. Spread the mixture evenly over top of the mac and cheese mixture. Cook at 350F for 40 minutes. Let cool a few minutes and serve.
See more: Cheese, Comfort Food, Pasta, Seafood