chef john's lobster mac and cheese

Ingredients

• Servings: 2
• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 2 lobster tails, split in half lengthwise and deveined
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups cold milk
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 1 pinch ground nutmeg
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 3 drops worcestershire sauce, or to taste
• 4 ounces grated sharp white cheddar cheese
• 1 ounce grated gruyere cheese
• 1 cup elbow macaroni, or more to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
• crumbs:
• 3 tablespoons panko bread crumbs
• 1 tablespoon melted butter
• 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese

Recipe

Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 30 mins Ready Time: 1 hr


• preheat oven to 400 degrees f (200 degrees c). butter 2 gratin dishes.
• heat oil in a skillet over high heat. cook lobster tails in skillet until slightly golden and about halfway cooked-through, about 2 minutes per side. transfer tails to a plate to rest. when cool enough to handle, remove lobster meat from shells and chop meat. reserve shells.
• melt 2 tablespoons butter in the same skillet over medium heat. whisk in flour; cook and stir until a paste forms and flour taste cooks off, 1 to 2 minutes. add cold milk to flour mixture; whisk until completely incorporated. bring to a simmer; reduce heat to low, and stir in paprika, nutmeg, and cayenne pepper. cook, stirring occasionally, until thick, 3 to 4 minutes. season sauce with salt.
• stir cheddar cheese and gruyere cheese into milk mixture until cheese is melted. remove from heat and stir worcestershire sauce into cheese sauce.
• bring a large pot of water with reserved lobster tails and a pinch of salt to a boil. cook elbow macaroni in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, until cooked through but firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. remove and discard lobster shells, drain pasta.
• stir macaroni into cheese sauce with thyme leaves. divide macaroni mixture between the 2 prepared gratin dishes. top macaroni with chopped lobster meat, poking meat down into macaroni mixture with a fork.
• stir bread crumbs and melted butter together in a bowl. add parmesan cheese and stir. top each gratin dish with bread crumb mixture.
• bake in the preheated oven until golden and bubbly, 15 to 20 minutes.