Gayles Decadent Lobster Mac Cheese Recipes

LOBSTER MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Drizzle oil into a large pot of boiling salted water. Add the pasta and cook according to the directions on the package, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain well.
• Meanwhile, heat the milk in a small saucepan, but don't boil it. In a large pot, melt 6 tablespoons of butter and add the flour. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring with a whisk. Still whisking, add the hot milk and cook for a minute or two more, until thickened and smooth. Off the heat, add the Gruyere, Cheddar, 1 tablespoon salt, the pepper, and nutmeg. Add the cooked macaroni and lobster and stir well. Place the mixture in 6 to 8 individual gratin dishes.
• Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, combine them with the fresh bread crumbs, and sprinkle on the top. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the macaroni is browned on the top.

SUPER DECADENT MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9- by 13-inch baking dish with butter.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the macaroni and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, about 7 minutes. Strain in a colander, run cold water over the pasta and set aside.
• Using the same pot the macaroni was cooked in, melt the 1/4 cup butter over medium heat, add the flour and whisk until smooth. While whisking constantly, slowly add the milk and then the cream. Bring to a simmer, add the cream cheese and the shredded Cheddar except for 1/2 cup and stir until melted. Stir in the granulated garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Remove the cheese sauce from the heat and stir in the macaroni. Season with salt and pepper.
• Whisk together the eggs and sour cream in a small bowl and then fold into the macaroni and cheese. Spread the mixture into the prepared baking dish, fold in the cubed Cheddar and top with the reserved 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar. Bake until the top just begins to brown, about 20 minutes. Loosely cover with foil and bake 10 to 15 minutes more.

LOBSTER MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Once the water is boiling, stir in the macaroni, and return to a boil. Cook the pasta uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the pasta has cooked through, but is still firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Reserve about 2 cups of the hot pasta water, then drain the pasta in a colander set in the sink, and rinse with cold water to cool. Set aside.
• Return the pasta water to the large pot, and place the lobster halves in the pot, cut-side up. Return the water to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and steam the lobster just until the meat firms and turns opaque, about 3 minutes. Remove the lobster and allow to cool for a few minutes, then remove the meat and cut into bite sized pieces. Reserve the shells.
• Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the onion and cook until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes; scrape the onions into a small bowl and set aside. Place the reserved lobster shells, garlic, shallots, peppercorns, and milk into the saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, and cook for 20 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Melt 5 tablespoons of butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk in the flour, and stir until the mixture becomes paste-like and light golden brown, about 10 minutes. Strain the milk through a mesh sieve. Gradually whisk the milk into the flour mixture, and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook and stir until the mixture is thick and smooth, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Stir the Gruyere, Cheddar, and Romano cheeses into the thickened milk mixture until melted and smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then stir in the reserved lobster, onions, and macaroni. Pour the macaroni into a 4 quart casserole and smooth the top. Sprinkle evenly with the panko crumbs.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the sauce is bubbly, and the top is golden brown, 8 to 12 minutes.