Macaroni & Cheese with Lobster and Sage
At our recent preview party for the new Fel’s Planetarium at the Franklin Institute a guest was overheard saying of this dish, “It includes all of my favorite food groups. It’s the best thing I have ever eaten.” This very rich and satisfying dish is best served as cocktail party comfort food. For the Preview Party we served it from a glistening round silver chafing dish on to a small bread and butter plate.
Macaroni & Cheese with Lobster and Sage
(Serves 8)
Ingredients:
1 1/4 Lb. Lobster
1 Lb. elbow Macaroni
1 cup diced celery
1 cup diced onion
1/2 cup white wine
2 T. fresh chopped sage
1/2 cup chopped scallion
1 cup half & half
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper to taste
1 1/4 Lb. orange cooper sharp cheese, cubed
1. Steam or boil the lobster. Allow the lobster to cool. Remove all the meat from the shell, including the coral and any eggs. Cut the lobster meat into bite-sized cubes. Set aside meat along with the coral and the eggs. If you are thinking of making the optional lobster stock shown below, also reserve the cooking water and the shells from the lobster and set aside.
2. Cook the macaroni in salted water. Shock the macaroni in cold water to stop from cooking and coat with a bit of olive oil.
3. To make the cheese sauce, put cubed cheese and half- &-half in a double boiler. Next, add nutmeg and cayenne pepper. Let the cheese melt, stirring occasionally. In a separate pan sweat onion and celery for a minute or two and then add the white wine. The celery should still be a little bit crunchy. Add the celery and the onion to the cheese sauce base. Thin the sauce if needed with a little additional half- &-half or optional concentrated lobster stock.
4. Add the macaroni to the cheese sauce. Add the sage. Warm. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Top with chopped scallion and serve.
Lobster Stock (optional)
Place the lobster in a pot not much bigger than the lobster. Add enough water to just cover the lobster. Cook the lobster and remove. Save the cooking liquid. Add the shells back to the cooking liquid and let reduce about one third. Add celery, carrots, onion, cracked black pepper, parsley and bay leaf, as you would to any other stock. Allow the stock to simmer on low heat for two hours. Strain the liquid and return to the pot and reduce until only about a cup of stock remains. Use this to flavor the sauce.
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