MAC AND CHEESE COMPANY RECIPES

Steps:

• Take the lobster and twist the claws off, then use a rolling pin to crack the claws and pick the meat out. Peel the tail, exposing and removing the fleshy meat. Roughly chop all of the meat, then cover and set aside in a bowl in the fridge. Bash all the pieces of shell with the rolling pin to break them up a bit.
• Heat the oil in large frying pan over a high heat, add the onion and a large pinch of salt and cook for around five minutes until softened and well coloured, then add the lobster shell and fry for a couple of minutes more. Add the cayenne pepper and tomato purée and stir to coat everything, the turn the heat down to medium and add the milk. Stir well, then remove from the heat when it is just coming to a simmer and set aside for 30 mins to infuse. Meanwhile, mix the garlic, olive oil and lemon zest together with some seasoning to make the breadcrumb topping, then set aside. Strain the milk mixture into a jug and discard the shell.
• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Boil the macaroni in salted water until it has a slight bite (around two minutes less than on the packet instructions), drain and set aside. Melt the butter in a large frying pan over a medium heat until foaming, then add the wine and cook for 5 minutes until the wine has reduced by half, then whisk in the flour to make a sandy paste. Turn down the heat and pour the strained milk into the pan a little at a time, whisking constantly and allowing each addition of milk to be fully absorbed before adding any more.
• Add the chopped lobster meat, mustard, crab and cheese. Stir well until the cheese has melted, then season to taste. Tip in the macaroni and stir to coat everything in the sauce. Tip into an ovenproof baking dish (or six small ones) and top with a sprinkling of grated cheese and the garlic breadcrumbs. Bake for 20 mins until golden and bubbling, then allow to cool a little before serving.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 8. Cook the macaroni in salted water for 2 mins less than the stated cooking time, so it still has plenty of bite. Drain well and toss with a small knob of the butter to stop it from sticking together.
• In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat the remaining butter until frothy and nut-brown. Pour off 1 tbsp into a small bowl and place the pan back on the heat, then scatter over and whisk in the flour and cook for 3 mins until you have a sandy paste. Add the milk, a splash at a time, simmering and whisking until smooth between each addition. Once all the milk has been added, drizzle in the evaporated milk, then add the grated cheddar, a handful at a time, until you have a thick, cheesy sauce. Stir through the mustard powder, cayenne, Marmite and vinegar and taste for seasoning, adding salt and pepper as needed.
• Remove from heat, stir in the macaroni, then stir through the chunks of cheese. Tip the contents of the saucepan into a large, buttered baking dish. In a small bowl, mix together all the breadcrumbs, the parmesan, another small pinch of cayenne and some crunchy sea salt if you want. Scatter the crumbs over the macaroni, drizzle with the reserved brown butter and bake for 30-35 mins until lightly browned, crunchy all over and bubbling around the edges. Leave to stand for 10 mins before serving straight from the dish.