Recently my friends at Cabot sent me a care package loaded with their Legacy Collection Alpine Cheddar. And of course, I knew exactly what I wanted to make with this ah-mazingly delicious cheddar. It would have to be the king of decadent foods, lobster mac and cheese.
You can find lobster mac and cheese on high-class restaurant menus, pubs and even some of those delicious dives we all love, it’s just one of the comfort foods that calls to us. As it whispers in our ear, worry about the cholesterol tomorrow and just enjoy deliciousnesses tonight.
I love being a chef, mostly because I can shop a chef. One of my favorite stores will always be Restaurant Depot. You don’t have to be a chef to shop there, but you do need a membership card. When we moved to Florida three years ago, although I was ecstatic about the move, I felt displaced from the industry I loved and had spent my life working at.
When I saw there was a Restaurant Depot in Orlando, I decided to stop in and pick up a few items I couldn’t get at Publix and for me, it was like going home. I actually got a lump in my throat and felt a little teary eyed. I was still a chef and the fact that I no longer worked in the industry didn’t matter because I could still shop like a chef. I was with my people……sigh.
Of course, I ramble sometimes but I tell you this because the lobster meat came from restaurant depot in a lovely 2-pound package. The rest of which went on to become lobster rolls.
Let’s get started with the Lobster Mac and Cheese by gathering our ingredients (aka Mise en Place).
Making the cream sauce for the mac and cheese is pretty easy to do and the real trick to the dish comes when you assemble and finish it. If you let it sit too long the noodles will absorb the cream sauce and the mac and cheese will be dry. So to make sure it’s the best it can be, the cheese sauce should be hot and the noodles room temp or warm. Don’t mix it all together and instead layer the noodles with some sauce lobster, more noodles and more sauce. Top with breadcrumbs and finish under the broiler. Don’t let it bake or sit any longer than you have too.
In truth, I let mine sit a little too long and although it was delicious, it could have been creamier. I didn’t use all my cheese sauce either, which was Lisa’s preference, so it would have been a little creamier with that as well.
You love comfort food you might also like these recipes:
- Chicken Marsala
- Deconstructed Chicken Stew
- Pepperoni Pizza Grilled Cheese Sandwich
- White Truffle Oil Mac and Cheese
I love a good cheddar cheese sauce and any of the Cabot Cheddars would make delicious mac and cheese. My all-time favorite cheese is the Cabot Clothbound Cheddar, you just can’t usually find it in the grocery stores (not even restaurant depot). And this is epic eating cheese, each bite to be savored……..sigh. This was not a sponsored post, I just love the deliciousness of Cabot Cheese!
Lobster Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 4 tablespoon flour
- 2 cups milk
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- 1 pound cooked lobster meat body and claw
- 1 lb elbow macaroni or your favorite pasta
- 16 oz sharp cheddar cheese shredded or cheese of your choice
- ½ cup Italian bread crumbs
- ¼ tsp nutmeg optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° and grease an 8″ x 8″ baking dish
- Boil the elbow macaroni for 7 minutes or until al dente, drain and set aside
- cut the already cooked lobster meat into manageable pieces
- heat the milk in a saucepan until hot, but do not allow it to boil.
- In a heavy saucepan, melt the butter and then add the flour, whisking until combined
- Gradually add the heated milk, whisking constantly until the mixture becomes smooth and creamy. You may need to add additional milk or water if it becomes too thick.
- add in the shredded cheese and mix until fully incorporated
- Stir in the salt, pepper, nutmeg and mix well
- start a layer of the cooked macaroni in the baking dish and ladle cheese sauce covering it completely.
- Add a layer of lobster pieces , and then another layer of macaroni.
- add a few pieces of lobster on top(for visual appeal) of the last layer of pasta and then cover with the remaining cheese sauce.
- sprinkle the Italian bread crumbs on top of the finished mixture and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.
- For the last 5 minutes turn on the broiler to add color to the top.
- Remove from oven and serve immediately.
Jo
Who can resist this pasta. Mac n cheese never fails. Never tried mac and cheese with lobster, it looks so very delicious!
Moop Brown
This Mac and cheese looks incredibly comforting and filling. I love the way you paired 2 of my favorite foods in this dish!
Loreto Nardelli
This definitely deserves 5 stars. Lovely dish!
Loreto Nardelli
Chef Dennis, this is exsquisite luxurious comfort food at its best. Making that cheese sauce so cheesy and having those morsels of lobster makes for a taste bud tantalizing experience. We don’t have Reasaurant depot here but it sounds like a cool place!
Cheers!
Beth
I used to think that Lobster was the ultimate birthday dinner, but combining it with mac and cheese really takes it into decadent comfort food. Loved the story about shopping like a chef.
Farrukh Aziz
This lobster Man n cheese was so delicious, it was creamy and cooked perfect, we had great Saturday family dinner. I have saved this recipe and am making this again soon. Thank you very much for sharing this amazing recipe Chef! 🙂
Neha
I am loving how creamy, rich and delicious it looks! I like the use of cheddar cheese in this lobster mac and cheese. A lot of cheddar is sitting in my fridge and now I know where I am going to use it, yum!
Jenny
May I say that this is the best lobster mac and cheese I have ever had? We wanted Christmas to be special this year, and we also did not want to roast anything. Your fabulous dish came to the rescue, and it was comforting, delicious, and such a treat. Felt like a hug! Thanks so much for sharing this recipe. We loved it and will make it again.
Kathryn Donangelo
This lobster Mac and cheese is one of my favorites and love how it’s made with white cheddar. It pairs perfectly with the lobster and I’ll be making this again for a Christmas side dish. Thanks Dennis!