Description
Ina Garten’s lobster mac n cheese elevates classic comfort pasta with luxurious seafood and rich cheeses. Creamy, indulgent flavors blend perfectly for a gourmet meal you’ll savor with delightful anticipation.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1.5 lb cooked lobster meat
- 1 lb cavatappi or elbow macaroni
- 12 oz (4 cups) Gruyere cheese, grated
- 8 oz (2 cups) extra-sharp Cheddar, grated
- 1 quart milk
- 1 stick (8 tbsps) unsalted butter
- 0.5 cup all-purpose flour
- 1.5 cups fresh white bread crumbs (5 slices, crusts removed)
- 0.5 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
- 0.5 tsp nutmeg
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Vegetable oil, for greasing
Instructions
- Preparation: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) and set up a large pot of salted water for pasta cooking.
- Pasta Technique: Cook pasta in boiling water with olive oil until al dente, approximately 6-8 minutes, then drain completely in a colander.
- Sauce Foundation: Warm milk gently in a saucepan while creating a roux by melting butter and whisking in flour until smooth and free of raw flour flavor.
- Sauce Development: Progressively incorporate heated milk into the roux, whisking continuously until the mixture transforms into a luxurious, velvety consistency.
- Cheese Integration: Remove sauce from heat and blend Cheddar and Gruyere cheeses, seasoning with ground black pepper, nutmeg, and salt until ingredients harmonize seamlessly.
- Lobster and Pasta Incorporation: Fold cooked lobster meat and prepared pasta into the cheese sauce, ensuring uniform distribution of ingredients.
- Assembling and Topping: Distribute the mixture evenly across gratin dishes, then combine remaining butter with bread crumbs and sprinkle generously over each portion.
- Final Baking: Bake in preheated oven for 30-35 minutes until a golden-brown crust forms and the sauce bubbles enthusiastically, signaling perfect doneness.
Notes
- Pasta Perfection: Cook pasta just until al dente to prevent mushiness and maintain a delightful texture in the final dish.
- Roux Mastery: Whisk flour and butter continuously to eliminate raw flour taste and create a smooth, silky sauce base.
- Cheese Melting Technique: Remove sauce from heat before adding cheese to prevent grainy texture and ensure a creamy, luxurious consistency.
- Bread Crumb Brilliance: Toss bread crumbs in melted butter for a golden, crispy topping that adds irresistible crunch to the mac and cheese.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 727
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 847 mg
- Fat: 38 g
- Saturated Fat: 23 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 61 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 37 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg