Lobster Mac & Cheese at David & Eileen’s

With this homemade gourmet lobster mac & cheese at David & Eileen’s you get the best of both worlds! Two of my very favorite things to eat all in the same dish! What more could you ask for? What, did someone say “smoked Gouda, please”? The Lobster goes with out saying and for those of you who appreciate that slightly salty, yet sweet and rich in every meaty bite know what I’m talking about. Then to add this succulent lobster to pasta that’s covered in a delicate, smokey, cheesy sauce put’s it right over the top!

When my dear friends David and Eileen suggested making lobster mac & cheese for my cooking show it was like bells went off. I thought it was a great idea. David had discussed the idea with our other foodie friend, Marco, who offered up his recipe to David. Marco and his wife, Sheryl, own an Inn near by called Lathrop Manor where Marco cooks up a five course gourmet breakfast if you’re a guest there.  Marco was also the chef in my “Salmon BLT Sliders at Marco’s Show” from this past summer. Needless to say, our group here loves to cook, eat and have fun. Even frequenting the Farm and Vine Dinner’s at The Ocean House together. 

Sharing family recipes, like Dave and Laurie did with their yummy “Caruso Salad” and the amazing lobster mac & cheese recipe between Marco and David is what brings friends together. Cooking, eating, laughing and enjoying each other’s company is the foundation of life in all cultures around the world . I am grateful to have such wonderful family and friends to do this with.

I hope you enjoy this homemade “Lobster Mac & Cheese at David & Eileen’s” show as much as we did making it! Have fun with this recipe. You may also want to check out my Caesar Salad for a side dish or some Arancini Reuben Balls, stuffed mushrooms ,or baked asparagus wrapped in Prosciutto for an appetizer. Although , we don’t have David’s incredible chocolate meringue pie recipe yet, you could check out a chocolate pecan pie recipe that’s to die for.

Ingredients for Lobster Mac & Cheese at David and Eileen’s:

• 2 Lobsters – meat from 2 – 1 1/2 lb. steamed lobsters
• 3 tbsp butter
• 3 tbsp flour
• 2 small onion finely chopped (1/2 cup)
• 3 1/2 cups whole milk
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1/4 cup Dry Sherry -OPTIONAL
• 2 tsp lobster base OR Lobster SHELLS- OPTIONAL it gives a wonderful flavor to the dish… we did forget to add the base in the show and the lobster mac & cheese was still delicioso!
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 1/2 cups smoked Gouda
• 1 1/2 cups white Cabot cheddar
• 1 cup mozzarella (I added in the mozzarella)
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
• 1 lb. cellentani pasta or elbow
• s&p
• 2 tbsp rm temp butter for coating the baking dish

Topping Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
• 1/4 tsp garlic granules
• 1/4 tsp onion granules
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp melted butter
• 4 pieces cooked and chopped bacon – Bacon OPTIONAL  (DO NOT use Maple Flavored Bacon)

Directions for Lobster Mac & Cheese at David and Eileen’s:

1. Per-Heat oven to 350º on CONVECTION (convection helps to toast the bread crumbs without overbaking and curdling the cheese sauce)
2. Coat the baking dish with 2 tbsp rm temp butter and set aside
3. Cook Pasta til firm in salted water, al-dente, 5 minutes
4. Drain and rinse to cool pasta and set back in the same pan
5. Melt butter in sauté pan
6. Sauté the chopped onion until soft and translucent
7. Add a s&p
8. Add flour to onions to make a roux
9. Continue on stove stirring mixture for 1 minute to cook out raw flour flavor
10. Slowly add milk & cream to roux while continuing to whisk so as not to get lumps
11. Add in bay leaves
12. Cook over medium heat while stirring until sauce thickens
13. Taste here to see if you need more salt and pepper
14. Add in 1/4 cup Dry Sherry
15. OPTIONAL:  Add in lobster base OR LOBSTER SHELLS and simmer for 10 minutes
16. Remove the shells if you added them and discard
17. Turn heat to low and add in smoked Gouda, cheddar & mozzarella while whisking for 30 seconds ONLY, then remove from heat immediately and continue to whisk until all the cheese is melted
18. Sauce should have consistency of heavy cream
19. Stir lobster meat into the sauce to infuse flavors
20. Then pour lobster sauce over al-dente pasta and mix until combined
21. Transfer to an oven safe baking dish
22. Sprinkle in 1/4 cup Parmesan and mix gently
23. Make the breadcrumbs by combining breadcrumbs, parmesan, onion and garlic granules, olive oil & butter and bacon
24. Mix with your hands or a spoon and sprinkle evenly over the lobster mac & cheese
25. Bake in a 350º oven for 25-30 minutes until slightly bubbly on the edges
26. NOTE: DO NOT OVER BAKED OR CHEESE SAUCE WILL CURDLE!!!!
27. NOTE: The pasta will absorb a lot of liquid in the beginning when you first mix it, AND then when you bake it, AND as it sits, AND then as it cools, so it’s a good thing to have a little extra sauce in the beginning …it will keep absorbing -you don’t want a dry lobster mac and cheese sauce 🙂