This one has been on my mind.
It started off with a flicker of an idea and much like a cow slowly chewing and regurgitating its fodder, I have been doing the same - mentally. My kids like most kids luv Mac and cheese but I was a bit tired of fixing the same old yellow goop. Mind you, nothing wrong with that especially when it's done right as is invariably in the South!
But I wanted a Gourmet, more adult Mac and Cheese if you will, one that the kids would love but Mr. Hubby and I would love even more. As it turned out, it was my kids who ended up ooh-ing and aah-ing over the lobster more than we did!
The heart of the recipe is the combination of cheeses and I am a little embarrassed (but not much) to admit that I have been making several trips to Costco on the weekends especially during the cheese road shows in an attempt to try out the different free cheese samples. This, to work out their flavors, separate and combined. Seriously, I wasn't going to buy four 8 dollar slabs of cheeses in trial & error just to realize it wasn't working out!
Finally, after several weekends of not only trying out the cheeses but also waiting for the seafood kiosk to have a sale, I was ready. The final four cheeses - Imported & aged Parmigianna Reggiano, imported Gruyere cheese, Smoked Gouda, Vermont White Cheddar cheese (aged 3 months) come together to create an unforgettable culinary symphony. All this against the back drop of a creamy Mascarpone sauce.
Trust me, this one's going to have you weak at the knees. I could barely contain myself and have to admit to forking it straight from the hot pan and that's before it went into the oven!
uncooked Pipette pasta (large elbow macaroni with ridges), uncooked lobster tails in shell, Mascarpone, aged Parmigianna Reggiano, imported Gruyere cheese, Smoked Gouda, Vermont White Cheddar cheese, chicken stock, heavy cream, milk, Tabasco sauce, dried dill, yellow onion, garlic cloves, all-purpose flour, butter, Dijon mustard, ground nutmeg, salt,
For the topping - Panko bread crumbs, Parmigianna Reggiano, Gruyere cheese, fresh chives for garnish
Prepare the ingredients -
Onion - Peel, discard the skin and finely chop.
Garlic - Peel, discard the skin and finely chop.
Pasta - Follow the instructions on the packet and cook the pasta accordingly. Sieve immediately and do not overcook.
Lobster - Bring the chicken stock to a boil on medium heat. Add the lobster tail and cover the pan with a tight fitting lid. Cook for 2-1/2 minutes ( 1 minute/3.5oz) and remove from the stock. Immediately soak in a bowl of ice cold water to stop the lobster from further cooking. Cool for 5-10 minutes
Reserve the chicken stock for use in the sauce.
At this point the lobster is still half uncooked. Do not overcook because it will continue to cook in the oven and if overcooked will turn rubbery which will be awful and a complete waste of money.
Halve the lobster shell/s lengthwise. Remove the lobster meat and cut into 3/4" pieces. Set aside.
Cheeses -
Using a food processor, freshly shred the cheeses-
aged Parmigianna Reggiano, imported Gruyere cheese, Smoked Gouda & Vermont White Cheddar cheese.
Topping - Combine 1/4 cup of Panko breadcrumbs with 1/4 cup shredded Parmigianna Reggiano & Gruyere cheeses & set aside.
Preheat oven to 350 deg F.
In a sauce pan large enough to hold the pasta as well, melt the butter.
As soon as the butter melts, add chopped onion & garlic.
Saute on low heat for about 7-10 minutes until the onions have softened and the garlic begins to slightly brown. Keep stirring off and on so nothing turns brown or blackens at the edges.
At this keep all these close by - a whisk, 3/4 cup of milk, 1/4 cup of heavy cream, ground nutmeg & 1-1/2 cups of reserved chicken stock.
Meanwhile, whisk up the Mascarpone in a mixing bowl with the dill & Dijon mustard.
Mix well. And add all the remaining cheeses (not the mixture set aside for the topping) and blend thoroughly with a spatula. Set aside.
To the sauteed onions, add the flour and stir till thoroughly blended. On low heat allow it simmer for about 2-3 minutes or until a very pale color comes through and a slight scent of toasting fills the air. Stir off and on.
Important - This point forward while making the sauce use only the whisk. Keep the heat on low.
Add the milk and the cream. Whisk to break up any lumps than form. Allow the sauce to thicken so it coats the back of a spoon. Continue to whisk throughout the process so as to break up any lumps as you go.
Add the mascapone and cheese mixture. Also add 1-1/2 cups of the reserved chicken stock. Revert back to the spatula and stir on low heat till the cheeses have melted and the sauce has a rich creamy texture. This may take a good 7-10 minutes.
Once the sauce coats the back of a spoon or spatula, add the previously cooked macaroni.
Add the Tabasco sauce & the lobster meat (half cooked). Stir till thoroughly mixed.
Taste and adjust seasonings. I did not need to put any more than 1/2 tsp salt total since all the cheeses have their own salt.
Spray a baking dish with non-stick baking spray. I have decided to once again pull out my 9" Emile Henry pie dish. What can I say any reason to use it!
Empty out the Macaroni and cheese into the dish. Sprinkle the Panko breadcrumb topping mixture evenly over the top.
Bake in a hot oven for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven & allow it to rest for 10 minutes before cutting into it.
I don't know about you but I can't stand a dry Mac and Cheese so that was the first thing I looked for with my first bite.
You know how its all creamy on the stove top and you put it in the oven and it comes out all dry and stuck together. This was nothing like that. I hope you can see it in the pic but this is super moist, cheesy and creamy.
Also, this is such a treat for someone like me who loves lobster & even more so, lobster thermidor. The lobster in this dish has that same wonderful flavor that is so characteristic about a well made thermidor.
Fantastic! A bit heavy on the wallet but great for those rare & special occasions when you want everything to be uber wonderful.
Before I forget, both kids gobbled up seconds and kept asking for more lobster!...ha..ha..
Recipe for
Lobster, Mascarpone & 4-Cheese, 'Macaroni & Cheese'
Preparation time - 45 minutes
Baking time- 30 minutes
Serves 4
Shopping list
12 oz uncooked Pipette pasta (large elbow macaroni with ridges)
2 qty, 4 oz each uncooked lobster tails in shell (or 1 large)
8 oz Mascarpone
*3/4 cup shredded aged Parmigianna Reggiano
*3/4 cup shredded imported Gruyere cheese
*3/4 cup shredded Smoked Gouda
*1/2 cup shredded Vermont White Cheddar cheese
* Freshly grate cheeses - Do not purchase pre-shredded cheese
2 cups chicken stock
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 cup milk
1/2 tsp Tabasco sauce
1 tsp dried dill
1/3 cup finely chopped yellow onion
2 cloves garlic
2-1/2 tsp all-purpose flour
5 tbs butter
1/4 tsp Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
Topping
1/4 cup Panko bread crumbs
*1/4 cup shredded aged Parmigianna Reggiano
*1/4 cup shredded imported Gruyere cheese
Fresh chives for garnish
Preparation -
Prepare the ingredients -
Onion - Peel, discard the skin and finely chop.
Garlic - Peel, discard the skin and finely chop.
Pasta - Follow the instructions on the packet and cook the pasta accordingly. Sieve immediately and do not overcook.
Lobster - Bring the chicken stock to a boil on medium heat. Add the lobster tail and cover the pan with a tight fitting lid. Cook for 2-1/2 minutes ( 1 minute/3.5oz) and remove from the stock. Immediately soak in a bowl of ice cold water to stop the lobster from further cooking. Cool for 5-10 minutes
Reserve the chicken stock for use in the sauce.
Halve the lobster shell/s lengthwise. Remove the lobster meat and cut into 3/4" pieces. Set aside.
Mascaropne Mixture - Whisk up the Mascarpone in a mixing bowl with the dill & Dijon mustard.
And add all the remaining cheeses (not the mixture set aside for the topping) and blend thoroughly with a spatula. Set aside.
Topping - Combine 1/4 cup of Panko breadcrumbs with 1/4 cup shredded Parmigianna Reggiano & Gruyere cheeses & set aside.
Cooking method -
Preheat oven to 350 deg F.
In a sauce pan large enough to hold the pasta as well, melt the butter. As soon as the butter melts, add chopped onion & garlic.
Saute on low heat for about 7-10 minutes until the onions have softened and the garlic begins to slightly brown. Keep stirring off and on so nothing turns brown or blackens at the edges.
At this keep all these close by - a whisk, 3/4 cup of milk, 1/4 cup of heavy cream, ground nutmeg & 1-1/2 cups of reserved chicken stock.
To the sauteed onions, add the flour and stir till thoroughly blended. On low heat allow it simmer for about 2-3 minutes or until a very pale color comes through and a slight scent of toasting fills the air. Stir off and on.
Important - This point forward while making the sauce use only the whisk. Keep the heat on low.
Add the milk and the cream. Whisk to break up any lumps than form. Allow the sauce to thicken so it coats the back of a spoon. Continue to whisk throughout the process so as to break up any lumps as you go.
Add the mascapone and cheese mixture. Also add 1-1/2 cups of the reserved chicken stock. Revert back to the spatula and stir on low heat till the cheeses have melted and the sauce has a rich creamy texture. This may take a good 7-10 minutes.
Once the sauce coats the back of a spoon or spatula, add the previously cooked macaroni. Add the Tabasco sauce & the lobster meat (half cooked). Stir till thoroughly mixed.
Taste and adjust seasonings.
Spray a baking dish with non-stick baking spray.
Empty out the Macaroni and cheese into the dish. Sprinkle the Panko breadcrumb topping mixture evenly over the top.
Bake in a hot oven for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven & allow it to rest for 10 minutes before cutting into it.
Enjoy!
Recent Comments