Happy Valentine’s Day! Yes, the big day finally has arrived, and I hope one or more of our blog posts over the past week or so has been helpful in planning a memorable evening with your Significant Other.
In yesterday’s blog, we offered wine pairing suggestions for various preparations of a traditional Valentine’s Day favorite: lobster.
Today, we provide a recipe for your lobster leftovers… or for anytime you feel like enjoying a decadent take on classic American comfort food.
A rich, creamy Chardonnay would make a perfect pairing partner for this dish, and the recipe that follows yields 6 servings.
LOBSTER MAC ’N’ CHEESE
Ingredients
- Kosher salt
- Vegetable oil
- 1 lb. elbow macaroni
- 1 quart milk
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, divided
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 12 oz. Gruyere cheese, grated (4 cups)
- 8 oz. extra-sharp cheddar cheese, grated (2 cups)
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 1/2 lbs. cooked lobster meat
- 1 1/2 cups fresh white bread crumbs
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Drizzle oil into a large pot of boiling salted water. Add the pasta and cook according to the directions on the package, about 6 to 8 minutes. Drain well.
- Meanwhile, heat 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. Add the hot milk, still whisking, and cook for 1-2 minutes more, until thickened and smooth.
- Off the heat, add the cheese, 1 tablespoon salt, pepper and nutmeg. Add the cooked macaroni and lobster, and stir well.
- Place the mixture in 6 individual gratin dishes.
- Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Combine 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 top.
