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Chef John's Lobster Mac and Cheese Deluxe

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PREP TIME
30 min
COOKING TIME
30 min
TOTAL TIME
60 min
SERVINGS
2 servings
Dinner
Chef John's Lobster Mac and Cheese Deluxe
Ingredients
  • 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
  • 3 tablespoons panko bread crumbs
  • 1 tablespoon melted butter
  • 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
1
To begin preparing the dish, preheat your oven to a high temperature of 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celsius). Next, take two baking dishes and spread a generous amount of butter evenly across each one.
2
Heat a significant quantity of oil in a large skillet over extremely high heat. Cook lobster tails in the skillet until they develop a slight golden color and are approximately halfway cooked through, taking about 2 minutes per side. Remove the lobster tails from the skillet and place them on a plate to rest for a short while. When cool enough, carefully extract the lobster meat from its shell and chop it into smaller pieces. Set aside the empty shells.
3
In the same skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Mix in a spoonful of flour; cook and stir until the mixture forms a smooth paste, eliminating any raw flour taste, for about 1 to 2 minutes. Gradually add cold milk to the flour mixture; whisk until it's completely incorporated. Bring the mixture to a simmer, reduce heat to low, and stir in paprika, nutmeg, and cayenne pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens, taking about 3 to 4 minutes. Season with salt.
4
Combine shredded Cheddar cheese and Gruyere cheese into the milk mixture; stir until the cheese is fully incorporated. Remove from heat and add a dash of Worcestershire sauce to the cheese sauce.
5
Boil a large pot of water, adding reserved lobster shells and a pinch of salt to the mixture. Cook elbow macaroni in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, until it's cooked through but still firm to the bite, taking about 8 minutes. Remove lobster shells and set aside or discard them. Drain pasta.
6
Combine cooked macaroni with the cheese sauce, stirring in thyme leaves. Divide the macaroni mixture between the two prepared baking dishes. Top each dish with chopped lobster meat, gently pressing it down into the macaroni mixture using a fork.
7
Mix bread crumbs and melted butter together in a bowl. Add Parmesan cheese; stir until well combined. Top each baking dish with the bread crumb mixture.
8
Bake in the preheated oven until golden and bubbly, taking about 15 to 20 minutes.