Lobster Mac & Cheese paired with SIMI Chardonnay
Yield: Serves 4-6
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 60 minutes
Ingredients:
For the mac & cheese:
- 4 lobster tails (approx 4 oz each)
- 5 cups macaroni
- 4 tbsp butter
- 4 tbsp plain flour
- 3 ¼ cups whole milk
- 1 cup mozzarella, grated
- 1 cup Comte or Gruyere, grated
- 1 cup mature cheddar cheese, grated
- 1 tsp paprika
- ½ - 1 tsp salt
- Black pepper
For the topping:
- 3 oz / 1 ¼ cup fresh breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup parmesan, grated
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
- 2 tbsp butter, melted
- 2 cups mix of mozzarella, comte and mature cheddar cheese, grated
Method:
For the topping:
Combine the breadcrumbs, parmesan and herbs. Keep this in an airtight container until needed. Save the mixed cheese and butter until the mac and cheese is ready to bake.
For the mac & cheese:
Boil a pot of salted water and add the lobster tails. Return to a boil then reduce heat and simmer and cook for 5 minutes until the flesh has turned opaque and is cooked through. Drain and allow to cool before removing the meat from the shell. Cut each tail into 4-5 pieces and set aside for later.
Boil pasta until al dente, and once cooked, drain immediately, reserving some of the pasta water.
Heat a saucepan on medium heat and melt the butter. Once the butter has melted, add the flour and combine. Continue to stir and cook the flour and butter roux for 1 minute. Slowly add the milk a little at a time, whisking constantly to avoid lumps. Cook for a few more minutes until the sauce has thickened. Add salt and pepper and paprika along with all the cheeses and cook for another 2-3 minutes until the cheese has melted. Combine the cooked pasta with the sauce and mix through along with half of the lobster meat. If the sauce is too thick, loosen it slightly with a little of the reserved pasta water.
Pour the macaroni and cheese into a large baking dish and spread out. Place the remaining pieces of lobster on top, pushing into the mac slightly. Sprinkle over the cheese mix followed by the breadcrumbs, then drizzle over the melted butter. Place into a heated oven (390°F) for approximately 20 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and the breadcrumbs have become golden brown and crunchy.
Remove from the oven and serve!