There's mac and cheese. And, then there is Maine lobster mac and cheese. Elevate this classic dish.
By: Chef Barton Seaver via @LobsterFromMaine | Serves 8 as a side, 6 as a main · Prep 20 min · Cook 45 min · Can be made a day ahead
Ingredients
- 16 ounce of lobster meat. Shop Now >
- 1 pound macaroni
- 6 tablespoons butter
- 6 tablespoons flour
- 1 teaspoon ground mace
- 1-2 cups milk
- Salt
- 8 ounces sharp white Cheddar, shredded
- Fresh herbs: fennel fronds, chopped tarragon, chopped parsley
Directions
- Prep the lobster. Pat the thawed meat dry. Set aside a few of the best claw pieces for the top, and chop the rest into bite-size pieces.
- Cook the pasta. Heat the oven to 375°F and butter a 9×13 baking dish. Boil the pasta 2 minutes short of the package time, then drain it without rinsing.
- Make the sauce. Melt 6 tbsp of butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 2 minutes, keeping it pale. Stir in the mace for 30 seconds. Slowly whisk in the warm milk, then simmer, stirring, for 6–8 minutes until the sauce coats a spoon. Take it off the heat and stir in the cheeses a handful at a time, then the Dijon, salt, and cayenne.
- Combine. Fold the pasta and chopped lobster into all of the sauce, and spread it in the dish.
- Top and bake. Melt the remaining 2 tbsp of butter and toss it with the panko. Scatter the crumbs over the dish and bake 20–25 minutes, until it’s bubbling and golden.
- Finish. Let it rest 5 minutes. Warm the reserved claws briefly in a little butter, set them on top, and scatter the herbs over.
Thanksgiving make-ahead: Assemble the dish through step 4 up to a day ahead and refrigerate it. When the turkey comes out to rest, add the topping and bake 35–40 minutes from cold. It’s ready about when the turkey is carved.
Optional: For a deeper lobster flavor, replace 1 cup of the milk with a pint of lobster bisque.