Lobster Mac and Cheese

Lobster Mac and Cheese
Julia Gartland for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne.
Total Time
1 hour 40 minutes
Rating
4(2,132)
Comments
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This recipe for lobster mac and cheese, a variation on a classic plain recipe that Julia Moskin published in The Times, is a rich and shockingly flavorful addition to any feast, and requires only a single lobster to serve six or eight. Or try serving it as a main course for a weeknight dinner.

Featured in: The United States of Thanksgiving

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Ingredients

Yield:6 to 8 servings
  • Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
  • pound lobster
  • 2tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1cup cottage cheese
  • 2cups whole milk
  • 1teaspoon dry mustard
  • Pinch cayenne pepper
  • Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1pound sharp Cheddar cheese, grated
  • ½pound macaroni or elbow pasta, uncooked
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)

493 calories; 26 grams fat; 14 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 7 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 28 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 5 grams sugars; 36 grams protein; 847 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Fill a large pot with salted water and set it over high heat to come to a boil. Plunge lobster into water and cover pot. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, or until it is bright red. Check doneness by pulling an antenna; if it comes off without resistance, the lobster is done. Remove lobster to a bowl and allow to cool.

  2. Step 2

    Meanwhile, heat oven to 375 degrees, with a rack in the upper third of the oven. Use a tablespoon of butter to butter a 9-by-13-inch-square baking pan.

  3. Step 3

    In a blender, purée cottage cheese, milk, mustard, cayenne and nutmeg, and lightly season with salt and pepper. Transfer mixture to a large bowl, add grated cheese and uncooked pasta and stir well to combine. Pour into prepared pan, cover tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes.

  4. Step 4

    Meanwhile, crack lobster claws and tail over the bowl and remove the meat, reserving all liquid that comes out of the lobster. Roughly chop lobster meat.

  5. Step 5

    Uncover baking pan, gently stir in lobster meat and up to 2 tablespoons of the reserved lobster juices, and dot with remaining tablespoon of butter. Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes more, until browned on top. Let cool for 15 to 20 minutes before serving.

Ratings

4 out of 5
2,132 user ratings
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Comments

13 x 9 inch pan is too big, the casserole comes out less than an inch thick. Use 9 x 9.

Used double the amount of lobster and would not use less.

Used ricotta instead of cottage cheese and a 3/4 provolone/1/4 parmesan mix instead of cheddar.

Cheese does overpower the lobster flavor.

An hour to cook is too long. 45 minutes and the pasta is fully cooked. More and it starts to dry out.

Many people test the recipes, and have for more than 40 years. I'm curious what happened in your case. With two cups of milk, a cup of cottage cheese, a pound of cheese, some butter and reserved lobster juice in the recipe, "dry rather than creamy" is not a complaint we've heard, and it's not a result we've experienced.

Two notes:

1) Parboil the mac by simply placing the uncooked pasta into the lobster water after removing the lobster, leave it in the hot water for a few minutes to soak up some of that delicious sea flavor, and then drain.
2) Cheddar is way too strong, and I never use cottage cheese. Substitute 1/2 cup ricotta cheese and a 1/2 cup mascarpone and use about 3/4 cup grated parmigianno.

And if you have any fresh basil, shred it and sprinkle over the casserole after baking.

This recipe was not creamy, not even a little. I didn’t change anything and used full fat Daisy brand cottage cheese and whole milk. I even weighed the macaroni. This one is not a keeper for me.

We had this as part of our family New Year's Eve multi-course feast. Not a molecule remained. I advise using a cheddar that isn't too sharp, or soften a sharp one with some Monterey Jack so the lobster really shines through

Hey Sam,how about buying cooked lobster. we can get them in CT at Shoprite and other stores and they will be warm when we pick them up. Also I would like a bit more lobster.

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