Cheddar and Gouda Fried Lobster Macaroni & Cheese

Special occasion? Need snacks? Set yourself up for some delicious fried lobster macaroni and cheese bites that, once dipped in spicy ketchup, really pack a kick! The creamy combination of sharp cheddar and robust gouda make the sweetness of the lobster pop in this version of macaroni and cheese.

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups hand-picked lobster meat, chilled, chopped
• ½  LB elbow macaroni
• 1 Tbsp butter, unsalted
• 1 Tbsp flour
• 1 cup + 1 Tbsp milk
• ½ LB cheddar, grated
• ½ LB gouda, grated
• 1 egg
• 1 ½ cups bread crumbs
• Oil: enough to fry
• 1 batch spicy Ketchup
• Salt & FGBP to taste

Spicy Ketchup

• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 tsp olive oil
• ¾ cup ketchup
• 1 Tbsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 Tbsp hot sauce

Preparation

For the Spicy Ketchup

Combine all ingredients in a bowl until everything is well blended and adjust to your personal spice tolerance. Refrigerate for a few hours to develop flavor.

For the Main Event

Cook the macaroni as directed on the package in heavily salted boiling water. Once cooked, strain and run under cold water to cool it rapidly. While your water is boiling for the macaroni, melt butter over medium-high heat in a sauce pan. Once the butter has melted, whisk in flour and cook for 2 minutes to make a roux. Slowly whisk in warm milk until fully combined and there are no lumps. Bring the milk up to a boil and reduce to a simmer for 2 minutes until the sauce thickens. Remove the sauce from the heat and stir in cheeses until melted and the sauce is smooth. Season to taste, and then fold in cooked macaroni and lobster meat. Place in a shallow pan and refrigerate until cold. Remove the pan from the fridge and cut into small rectangles of macaroni and cheese, place them all on parchment papered tray and freeze for a few hours.

Time to Cook

Now that our macaroni and cheese bites have frozen, it is time to cook them.

Heat a deep fryer or deep pan with 2 inches of oil over medium heat to 350 degrees F. Whisk egg and 1 tablespoon of milk together in a small bowl to make an egg wash. Dip each piece of macaroni and cheese into the egg wash and then into bread crumbs to coat. Return breaded bites to the freezer until you are ready to fry them. Working in batches, place into the fryer and cook until golden brown and warmed through the middle. (5 minutes) Remove from the fryer and place on paper towels to absorb any excess oil, and season with a sprinkle of salt. Serve hot with spicy ketchup dipping sauce!