Lobster Mac & Cheese
Serves 6
Ingredients
- 8 oz rotini or pasta of choice)
- 2 tbsp salted butter
- 1 cup whole milk
- 4 oz Gruyere cheese, grated
- 4 oz Emmanthaler cheese, grated
- 6 oz shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 4 oz cream cheese
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 shallots, minced
- 1 lb cooked lobster meat, chopped
- 1 tbsp dry sherry
- 2 tbsp concentrated lobster stock*
- salt
- pepper
Lobster Stock
- 4 (1½ lb each) lobsters
- 8 tbsp unsalted butter
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 medium onions, finely chopped
- 2 carrots, peeled & chopped
- 2 stalks celery, peeled & chopped
- 1½ tsp salt
- 2 cups dry white wine
- 1 cup Madeira wine
- 5 cups clam juice (or water)
- 3 cups tomato juice
- 1 head of garlic, with skins, halved horizontally
- ½ bunch fresh parsley, with stems
- 1 tbsp black peppercorns
- 2 bay leaves
- 1½ tsp dried tarragon
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper
How-to
Lobster Stock
- Bring a large stockpot of water to a rolling boil, add lobsters, and cook at a fast boil until done, about 7 minutes
- Transfer to a bowl of iced water to cool, then remove and reserve tail and claw meat for another use. Do this messy job over a bowl to reserve drippings
- Crush shells, which will be the base for the stock, using a mallet or hammer, then grind as fine as possible with reserved drippings in a food processor
- Melt butter and oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Cook onions, carrots, celery, and salt until golden, about 10 minutes
- Stir in crushed shells, white wine, and Madeira. Turn heat to high and cook until liquid is reduced by half
- Add clam juice and tomato juice. Bring to a boil and carefully skim and discard foam that rises to surface
- Add remaining ingredients and cook at a simmer, uncovered, 1 hour 15 minutes
- Strain through a fine sieve and refrigerate up to 2 days or freeze indefinitely. (Can be frozen in ice cube trays for future dishes. 1 ice cube = 1 tbsp)
Mac & Cheese
- Cook pasta according to package instructions, do not overcook
- Melt butter on low heat. Add milk, and cheeses. Heat until blended
- In stockpot heat olive oil, sauté garlic and shallots for 3-4 minutes
- Add lobster, stock and sherry and sauté until warm, about 2 minutes on low heat
- Stir in pasta, mix. Add cheese sauce and serve
Recommended Wine - Puligny-Montrachet