I adore Mac and Cheese, but it does range from being absolutely spectacular down to being bloomin’ awful – I’m looking at you namely, Kraft, with your godawful nuclear yellow Mac and Cheese.
But, when done right, Mac and Cheese is god-tier food and this version of Mac and Cheese that I’ve created is right up there – it not only has the luxury of lobster added to it, but three beautiful cheeses in it, beer for extra flavour and a kick of cayenne and mustard as well. There isn’t much to say about this recipe except you owe it to yourself to give it a go! It’s luxuriant and a once-a-year treat, but so, so worth it!
Lobster Mac & Cheese
Print RecipeIngredients
- 1 - 2 x 400g Cooked Lobsters
- 450g Macaroni
- 75g Gruyere, grated
- 75g Mature Cheddar Cheese, grated
- 75g Pecorino Romano, grated (plus extra for topping)
- 1 Pint (568ml) Whole Milk
- 175ml Beer
- 60g Butter, unsalted
- 60g Plain Flour
- 50g Breadcrumbs
- 1 Tsp Cayenne
- 1 Tsp Mustard Powder
- 2 x Bay Leaves
- 2 x Garlic Cloves
- Handful of Fresh Chives
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C Fan)/375°F/Gas Mark 5.
First, remove the meat from the lobster (watch the video on this page to see how) and wash the shells out.
Place the washed shells into a large pan, pour over the milk and bring up to a gentle simmer and leave to simmer and infuse for 20 minutes.
While the milk infuses, cook the macaroni in a large pan of water for about 7 - 8 minutes, and then drain and leave to one side.
Strain the milk through the sieve to remove any bits of lobster shell and meat.
With a large pan over a low medium-low heat, add in the butter with a couple of cloves of lightly pressed garlic, and melt the butter.
Add in the plain flour to melted butter and cook out the flour over the heat for a couple of minutes. Throw in a couple of bay leaves while you do this.
Gradually add in the milk a bit at a time while stirring to make sure you get a nice, smooth sauce. Halfway through adding the milk, add in the beer bit by bit, and then add in the rest of the milk. Remove the bay leaves (and garlic if you want.)
Once all the liquid is added and the sauce looks smooth and glossy, turn off the heat and add in the cheeses and stir until completely melted.
Pour the macaroni into the cheese sauce and combine well until all the macaroni is coated.
Add into a large, ovenproof dish, and then scatter the breadcrumbs over the top and then grate over some more Pecorino Romano.
Place into the oven for 10 - 15 minutes until the top is golden brown and bubbling
Serve and enjoy!
