Lobster Mac & Cheese

Pasta, Cheese, and Lobster (with some shrimp and crab thrown in for good measure): It doesn’t get much better than this. With all due respect Parker, this is the ultimate Mac & Cheese. Even my wife, who is not a fan of lobster, loved it. Rich. Creamy. Filling. Oh So Good. The Ultimate Indulgence in Comfort Food.

I learned to make this and half a dozen other lobster dishes during a special class at my favorite gourmet kitchen tools store in Glendale, AZ.

I confess though, I cheated. To do this right you need to start with a whole live lobster and make your own stock. I used this lobster base from Superior Touch. Warning: If you use this stuff, don’t add salt to anything else. The second item in the list of ingredients is salt.

Another cheat: When I was taught this recipe, we used fontina and grated it. Instead, I used an 8 oz package of a pre-grated mixture of Mozarella, Provolone, Parmesan, Asiago, Fontina, and Romano.

Lobster Mac & Cheese

2 Tablespoons Lobster Base (or three cups lobster stock)
8 oz grated cheese
2 uncooked lobter tails
1/4 – 1/3 pound medium shrimp, shelled and de-veined
4 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup heavy cream
8 onces shell pasta
1/2 can crabmeat

If using lobster base, add it to 3 cups boiling water. stir until combined, then let simmer for 30 minutes.

Drop the lobster tails into a pot of salted boiling water. Let cook for 4 minutes. Remove the lobster tails, let them cool. After cooling a bit, remove the meat from the shells. Chop the lobster meat into 1/2-inch sized chunks.

Put a pot of salted water on the stove and bring to a boil. When boiling, add the pasta. Cook untul al dente.

While the pasta is boiling, saute the shrimp until just barely still translucent at the edges. Remove from the heat and let them cool a bit. then chop the shrimp.

In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter. When the foam has subsided, add the flour and whisk well until combined. Add the lobster stock or base mixture. Add the cream. Mix. let cook 2-5 minutes. Add the cheese and stir until the cheese is melted and the mixture is well-blended.

The pasta should be done about now. Drain, then combine the pasta, sauce, shrimp, lobster, and crab.

Serves 4