SOUTHERN LOBSTER MAC AND CHEESE RECIPES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Drizzle oil into a large pot of boiling salted water. Add the pasta and cook according to the directions on the package, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain well.
• Meanwhile, heat the milk in a small saucepan, but don't boil it. In a large pot, melt 6 tablespoons of butter and add the flour. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring with a whisk. Still whisking, add the hot milk and cook for a minute or two more, until thickened and smooth. Off the heat, add the Gruyere, Cheddar, 1 tablespoon salt, the pepper, and nutmeg. Add the cooked macaroni and lobster and stir well. Place the mixture in 6 to 8 individual gratin dishes.
• Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, combine them with the fresh bread crumbs, and sprinkle on the top. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the macaroni is browned on the top.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a large pot, cook the pasta until al dente. Drain the pasta and reserve, also reserve the water. Steam the lobster over the water for 3 minutes, then cool, remove the meat, and reserve both the meat and the shell. In a medium sauce pot, sweat the onions in 2 tablespoons butter, and remove. In the same pot, scald the milk and add the garlic, shallots, and peppercorns. Add the lobster shells to create a fish stock. Bring the "stock" to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer, season with salt and pepper, and cook for 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make a roux by combining 5 tablespoons of flour with 5 tablespoons of butter in a small sauce pot over medium-high heat. Cook until it thickens and develops a golden yellow color. Set aside roux. Strain the stock and return it to the pan. Once the stock begins to simmer again, start whisking the cheeses in slowly until fully incorporated (this will also thicken the sauce). Add the roux to thicken a little more, and then add the reserved onions and lobster meat. Toss the sauce with the pasta, and transfer it to a small baking dish. Top with bread crumbs, and bake for 8 to 12 minutes, or until bubbly and browned.