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3.09.2010

Lobster Mac 'n Cheese



Total indulgence. (Or gluttony. I suppose it depends on who you ask). Valentine's Day. Seemed like the perfect excuse. I got the idea in my head and then started looking for recipes online. Some seemed too fussy, others didn't seem decadent enough (because what's the point in making it if you don't go all out?!). What I ended up with was a mix of several different ideas, in the most scaled down recipe possible. It was all about the ingredients with this one. (Full disclosure: I spent a small fortune on cheese, but it was worth every penny.)

Lobster Mac 'n Cheese
3 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
12 ounces lobster tail pieces, fully cooked and chopped up (I bought mine fresh from the store and steamed them)
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
2 cups milk, room temperature
4 cups white cheese, shredded. I used an extra sharp aged Wisconsin white cheddar, Beecher's semi-hard cow's milk cheese (yes, I did take photos of the wrappers so I could remember), Beemster Dutch cheese and a cave-aged Swiss Gruyere. The cheesemonger at my local market helped me choose these. Like I said before, I wanted to go all out. If you want to make it simpler on yourself you can choose one cheese. White cheddar or gruyere, maybe?
White truffle oil (the recipe I found that included truffle oil called for 1/4 cup - I think I would use less next time, but definitely include it!)
1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs (make them fresh, don't use store bought!)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Cook macaroni; drain.
Next step is making a roux to start the cheese sauce. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. When melted and foamy, add the flour and whisk together to make a paste. Add 1 cup milk, continue to whisk until mixture is blended and creamy. Add the cheese 1 cup at a time, stirring constantly. As the cheese melts, continue to add remaining milk and cheese in 1 cup increments. Add more milk if the cheese sauce seems too thick (mine didn't). Add the white truffle oil once everything has been incorporated. (This is where your kitchen starts smelling heavenly.) Once the sauce is fully melted, add the pasta and lobster. Stir well to coat everything. Pour the mixture into a casserole dish. Top with bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese. Bake in a 400-degree oven until top is browned (roughly 30 minutes). Serve with champagne and a baguette (remember, you're going all out).



(No, I did not prop up the Italian calendar just for the photo).

Enjoy!
xoxo
Jenna

1 comment:

Tom McBrearty said...

Just my style!

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