One of the things that I really love about mac and cheese is the spectrum it exists on. Is it for kids? Adults? It can be luxurious or basic. But, the one thing that you can guarantee from mac and cheese is that it will be delicious. With Mother’s Day right around the corner, I was thinking about how to level up mac and cheese for a dish that fussy little mouths will love but also makes mum feel special. With all of these things, what else would be better than lobster mac and cheese?
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Lobster mac and cheese
I know that it might seem like lobster is kind of the lazy way to be luxurious but honestly – it’s really because it tastes delicious! Its sweet meat is the perfect complement to the creamy and luxurious mac and cheese sauce. Pair it with my garlic confit and you have a plate of pure luxury!
Cooking the lobster
If you’re worried about making the lobster, perhaps it’s a shellfish that you haven’t forayed into yet. However I have made it simple (and also instructional!), follow along with me here. If poaching the lobster tail meat in butter, like we do in this recipe, cook it on a very low heat until it turns pink and is no longer translucent. Save the lobster shells and poach in salted hot water to cook the pasta in. Not one part of this lobster is going to waste and we are going to get every last drop of flavour out of it!
Now that you’re the master of the sea – it’s time to make this lobster mac and cheese for your mum, your nearest and dearest.
Garlic confit
I couldn’t think of a better dish to spoil mum with this Mother’s Day than this decadent and quite fancy lobster mac and cheese. And, you know what it couldn’t miss? Garlic confit, of course.
If you’ve watched, well, any of my content – you will know how much I adore my Le Creuset pans. Especially their mini Dutch ovens! This is how I cook my garlic confit, so it was only fitting that I made this elegant pasta in their elegant pans.
And how stunning is their new petal casserole pan? It also makes the perfect Mother’s Day gift or addition to your Mother’s Day lunch tablescape. Nothing quite says I love you more than lobster, garlic confit and Le Creuset.
The sauce, where’s the sauce!?
There’s quite a few cheats’ ways to make mac and cheese – particularly the stuff in a box. I think it’s because people find the idea of making a roux a little overwhelming. But it’s honestly not as bad as you think. Maybe it’s a bit of a practice makes perfect kind of thing but if you get it once, you’ll think “What was I so nervous about?!”
My biggest hint for nailing the roux is that you can’t look away! It’s only two minutes of your time. Put your partner in charge of the kids and step away from your phone – this will require your attention. Once you see it start to come together add the milk and stir, stir, stir to avoid curdling. So, once you break down lobster mac and cheese into its parts – it’s an easy dish to nail! And, trust me, your mum will be grateful.
Check out my other lobster recipes
Buttered lobster pasta with cherry tomatoes
Garlic confit BBQ lobster tails
If you make this recipe, please tag me on Instagram, Tik Tok or Pinterest so I can see your wonderful creations from Daen’s Kitchen! If you have any questions or would like to leave a review, please do so here! I always love answering your food and recipe related questions and hearing your feedback on my recipes.
Images by Alanna Penna Photography
Lobster mac and cheese
Ingredients
- 2 bulbs garlic
- 1/2 cup garlic infused olive oil +1 tbsp
- 1 rosemary sprig
- 600 g lobster tail meat 750g in shell
- 160 g macaroni pasta 1 cup
- 75 g butter salted
- 2 tbsp white all purpose flour 40g
- 1.5 cups milk
- 50 g red or white cheddar grated +30g extra
- 50 g gruyere grated
- salt + pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 130 degrees C / 320 degrees F
- Separate all the cloves from the garlic bulbs and place into a heatproof bowl. Cover with boiling water for 5 minutes then drain. The skins will become loose and easy to peel off.
- Place the garlic cloves, sprig of rosemary and a generous amount of salt into an ovenproof dish and cover with ¼ cup olive oil, or more if needed. It’s important the garlic is fully submerged in olive oil so it does not burn. Roast for 1 - 2 hours or until the garlic is soft to touch and has a golden colour. There will be a slight bubble in the oil when it cooks.
- Separate the oil from the garlic cloves and set both to the side.
- Remove the lobster meat from the shell. Using shearing scissors, turn the tail over and cut down the middle. Peel the shell away and remove the meat. Cut the lobster meat into 4cm / 1 ½ inch long pieces or smaller if you prefer.
- Bring a pot of heavily salted water to the boil. Place the lobster shell into the pot of water along with the pasta. Follow the instructions on the back of the pasta packet for al dente pasta and drain your pasta 2 minutes before the suggested cooking time. Drain the pasta and lobster shell. Lay the pasta onto a cooling rack and discard of the lobster shell. Coat the pasta with a drizzle of olive oil to ensure it does not stick while you prepare the sauce.
- On a low heat in a 26cm Le Creuset dutch oven or oven proof dish, add the butter and drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the garlic infused olive oil. When the butter is melted and slightly foaming, add the lobster and poach it on a very low heat for 5 minutes until no longer glassy. The lobster meat should be tender and pink. Scoop out of the pan with a slotted spoon and set to the side.
- Add the flour and garlic to the pan and whisk to form a roux. Stir constantly for 1 – 2 minutes.
- Add the milk to the roux, one third at a time and whisk until combined and lump free. Repeat this step 2 more times until you have used up all the milk. Whisk the sauce for 5 minutes or until slightly thickened.
- Take off the heat and stir through the cheese with a big pinch of salt and pepper. Season to taste.
- Add the pasta and lobster meat to the sauce and gently stir through. Sprinkle the remaining cheese all over and bake for 15 minutes or until golden on top. Serve immediately.
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