Lobster Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 lb cavatappi pasta {or another small pasta}
- 1 lb lobster meat cooked and chopped {I use 3-4 1 lb lobsters}
- 4 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp butter melted
- 1/2 Vidalia onion diced
- 2 garlic cloves. pressed
- 1/3 cup flour
- 3 cups milk
- 2 cups fontina cheese shredded
- 2 cups cheddar cheese shredded
- 1/2 cup seasoned panko breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese shredded
- salt/pepper to taste
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
Instructions
- Add pasta to a large pot of boiling water and cook to almost al dente, about 4-5 minutes.
- Drain and set aside.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Add 4 tbsp butter to a saucepan over medium heat.
- Melt then add onion and garlic and cook until softened.
- Add flour, stirring to combine and let cook a minute.
- Then whisk in milk slowly until smooth.
- Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer until thick.
- Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg and remove from heat.
- Stir in cooked lobster {sometimes I add shrimp too}, reserving the meat from two lobster claws for garnish.
- Pour into a greased 9X13 baking dish.
- In a small bowl, mix together breadcrumbs, 2 tbsp melted butter, and Parmesan cheese.
- Sprinkle on top of macaroni.
- Bake for 15 minutes, until golden and bubbly.
- Top with lobster claw meat for a garnish and serve warm.
I have had mac and cheese with many different kinds of pastas but my favorite is twisty cavatappi pasta.
They are the perfect size and to me they add a gourmet spin on the traditional elbow macaroni.
Add pasta to a large pot of boiling water and cook to almost al dente, about 4-5 minutes.
Drain and set aside.
Add 4 tbsp butter to a saucepan over medium heat.
Melt then add onion and garlic and cook until softened.
Add flour, stirring to combine.
Let cook and darken for a minute.
Then whisk in milk slowly until smooth.
Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer until thick.
Add 2 cups each of shredded cheddar and shredded fontina cheese.
Whisk in, in batches if needed.
Keep whisking until smooth and remove from heat.
Steam lobster {I like whole Maine lobster} and set aside until cool enough to handle.
Depending on how much lobster you want in your mac and cheese add meat from 2-4 1 lb lobsters.
* You can also save time by having them steamed at the market when you buy them.
Peel lobster and place the meat from the claws and tails in a bowl.
Optional: reserve the meat from two lobster claws for garnish.
Sometimes I cook large shrimp, peel, chop, and add to the cheese sauce too.
Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
Now stir in cooked pasta then spread into a 9X13 greased baking dish.
Sprinkle on top of macaroni.
Bake for 15 minutes fat 400 degrees, until golden and bubbly.
Top with lobster claw meat for a garnish and serve warm.
Cheesy, rich, and decadent!
The perfect gourmet side dish to serve with a special meal.
For our Valentine’s dinner this year, I made Lobster Mac and Cheese with a Filet, shrimp heart, and roasted asparagus. Yum!
Lobster? Pasta? What else is there to say?!?! This looks fabulous. Thanks so much for sharing with the Let's Get Real party.