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Chef John's Lobster Mac and Cheese
Chef John's Lobster Mac and Cheese
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Prep Time:
30 minutes
Cook Time:
30 minutes
Total Time:
60 minutes
Impress with Chef John's elegant lobster tail mac and cheese for a special celebration.
Ingredients:
  • 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
  • 2 lobster tails, split in half lengthwise and deveined
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1.5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1.5 cups cold milk
  • 0.25 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 pinch ground nutmeg
  • 1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste
  • 0.5 teaspoon salt, or to taste
  • 3 drops Worcestershire sauce, or to taste
  • 4 ounces grated sharp white Cheddar cheese
  • 1 ounce grated Gruyere cheese
  • 1 cup elbow macaroni, or more to taste
  • 0.5 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
  • 3 tablespoons panko bread crumbs
  • 1 tablespoon melted butter
  • 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions:
  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C), then generously butter two gratin dishes.
  • In a hot skillet, fry the lobster tails until they turn slightly golden and are half cooked through, flipping after about 2 minutes. Place the tails on a plate to cool down. Once they are manageable, extract the meat from the shells, chop it, and set aside the shells.
  • In the same skillet over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter until sizzling. Whisk in flour until a smooth paste forms and cook until the raw flour taste disappears, about 1 to 2 minutes. Pour in cold milk and whisk until smooth. Let it gently simmer, then lower the heat. Stir in paprika, nutmeg, and cayenne pepper, and simmer until creamy and thick, about 3 to 4 minutes. Season the sauce with salt to taste.
  • Combine the Cheddar and Gruyere cheeses with the milk mixture, stirring until the cheese has melted. Take the mixture off the heat and stir in the Worcestershire sauce to create a flavorful cheese sauce.
  • In a large pot, bring water to a boil with lobster shells and a pinch of salt. Add elbow macaroni and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove or discard lobster shells and drain pasta.
  • Incorporate macaroni into the creamy cheese sauce infused with fragrant thyme leaves. Transfer the macaroni mixture evenly between the two greased gratin dishes. Layer the macaroni with succulent lobster meat, gently pressing it into the macaroni mixture using a fork.
  • Combine bread crumbs and melted butter in a bowl, mix in Parmesan cheese, and then generously sprinkle the mixture over each gratin dish.
  • Bake in the oven until golden and bubbly, about 15-20 minutes.

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