Lobster Mac n' Cheese!

This past week I was not feeling too well, but with the weather finally improving and the lure of summer coming, I was craving some lobster!

Being a New Englander, I am a seafood fanatic, and I love indulging in Lobster! Of course, the prices for lobster are still a bit high for now, but I just could not wait any longer.  Rather than just eating the lobster (which I usually do with a nice cold beer), I decided to incorporate into a dish that I have not made for a long time - macaroni and cheese.

Macaroni and cheese is just such a great comfort food and when you combine it with fresh seafood, it adds a bit of sophistication! The perfect combo to make any girl feel better! Although it may sound more "fancy shmancy," this dish is really simple to make!

Lobster Mac n' Cheese

Ingredients:
-1 pound penne pasta (I used whole wheat)
-1 pound fresh lobster, chopped up (you can buy it like this from the fish counter)
-1/2 pound baby shrimp (optional - you can add more if you have less lobster or if it is not fresh in your market)
-4 tablespoons butter, plus 2 tablespoons for drizzling
-1 onion, chopped
-1 clove of garlic, minced
-1/4 cup white wine
-1/4 cup flour
-2 cups heavy cream
-2 cups white cheddar cheese, shredded
-2 cups Gruyere cheese, shredded
-1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
-1/4 cup bread crumbs (or panko bread crumbs)
-Salt and pepper to taste
-Freshly chopped parsley for sprinkling
-White truffle oil (a few drops if you have it)

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Bring a pot of water to a boil, add a little salt and the penne.  Cook for about 8 minutes, or until al dente.  Drain the pasta, but reserve one cup of the pasta water.  Set aside.

Meanwhile, in another saucepan, melt the 4 tablespoons of butter.  Add the onion, garlic, salt and pepper to taste, and saute for a couple of minutes. Add the flour and cook for an additional two minutes.  The onions will clump together a bit with the flour, but that is okay.  Whisk in the wine and let it reduce by almost half.  Once the wine has reduced, whisk in the heavy cream and nutmeg and cook for about 5 - 10 more minutes, or until the mixture thickens.

Once the cream mixture has thickened, remove from the heat and stir in a couple drops of truffle oil if using.  Pour the mixture over the penne.  Fold in the cheeses and seafood.  If the mixture is too thick for your liking, you can add a little of the reserved pasta water to help loosen it up.

Transfer all of the pasta into a casserole dish and sprinkle the top with the bread crumbs and parsley.  Melt the reserved two tablespoons of butter and drizzle it over the top of the bread crumbs.  Place the casserole dish in the oven and cook for about 15 - 20 minutes, or until the top starts to become a golden brown and the cheese is bubbling.

Remove from the oven and let rest for at least 10 - 15 minutes.  Then, take a spoon, dig in and enjoy!




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