This is such a decadent and flavorful macaroni and cheese dish, and it is sure to impress your family and guests. I find that many people are not familiar with, nor comfortable with cooking lobster, but in truth it can actually be easy when you can find lobster pieces like tails and/or claws in the fresh or frozen seafood section of your grocery store. This mac and cheese is delicious even if you decide to leave out the lobster, which is perfectly fine.
TIPS: Please do not substitute “fake” lobster that is frequently marketed as “just like lobster”, such as pink monkfish. If in a pinch, cooked shrimp could be used to change up the recipe. Fresh shredded cheese from a block work far better than the pre-bagged shredded cheeses, as these often have other agents and preservatives in them, and are not as creamy. Any small pasta shape will work, such as elbow noodles or small penne, but I prefer to use medium shells to hold the wonderful sauce.
Lobster Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- 4 Tbs butter
- 1 LB elbow noodles or any small pasta noodle
- ½ cup shallots diced fine
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- ground pepper
- salt
- 2 Tbs tomato paste
- 5 Tbs flour
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 2 cups half and half
- ½ tsp paprika
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 cups shredded white cheddar
- 2 cups shredded gruyere cheese (plus more for sprinkling on top)
- I lb Lobster meat cooked 2 – 8-oz tails or frozen lobster meat
- 2 Tbs butter
- ½ to 1 cup fresh bread crumbs
- ¼ cup parsley leaves chopped
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 13X9 inch baking dish with butter.
- Boil pasta until al dente and drain. Reserve 1/2 C pasta water.
- Melt 4 Tbs butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots and garlic and cook until translucent, about 4 min. Season with 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp pepper. Add tomato paste and flour and whisk until combined and cook about 4 min to toast. Pour in white wine whisking until absorbed. Slowly add cream and half and half, whisking to remove lumps. Add paprika, cayenne and bay leaf. Bring cream sauce to a simmer and turn heat to low, simmer 5-10 min until thickened so it coats the back of a spoon. (If too thick, add a bit of the reserved pasta water). Remove bay leaf.
- Stir grated cheeses into cream mixture until melted. Add chopped lobster meat to sauce and stir well. Taste at this point to see if more salt is needed. Add to the pasta and gently stir. Pour into baking dish.
- Sprinkle extra shredded cheese on top of pasta, then top with breadcrumbs that have been mixed with 2 Tbsp melted butter, and parsley if using.
- Bake for 25 minutes until it starts to bubble and top begins to brown, then remove from oven and let rest for about 10 minutes.