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At first I thought I would avoid lobster...I had been thinking about going to Maine or Rhode Island to get some good lobster - yes I'm out of control - I thought crabmeat and shrimp would be great with cheese. Then I got to thinking, what kind of cheese? Nigella Lawson talked about how cheddar was a ooey gooey comfort cheese and unique to the United States...but I didn't want to do cheddar - I rely on a combination of cheddars for my mac and cheese. I kept thinking about cheese and shellfish...didn't want to do Italian cheese because that would be like alfredo. So I thought about fondue...I use gruyere and emmental for my fondue, so I started with that.
I Googled lobster mac and cheese and there were so many different recipes and styles, but none really seemed to hit the spot. I went to TJs and got gruyere, fontina, asiago, and debated about cheddar...instead I did an aged gouda (I love prima donna) ...TJs is definitely the place to go for reasonably priced cheeses. I walked down the frozen food aisle and saw langostino tails...they looked like lobster so I Googled that on my cell and learned that they are essentially a shellfish that is often used as a lobster substitute...I bought two packages. Then I went to Whole Foods and bought two packages of quinoa shells - figured I'd try to make this a balanced meal.
I sauteed garlic in tons of butter, added heavy cream, then started adding my cheeses...I briefly sauteed the tails in garlic and butter, then mixed it all together, then added some cheddar-jack. I had planned to add a bit of dijon mustard, but forgot. I steamed broccoli on the side and we sat down and enjoyed our dinner. The flavor had a slight resemblance to alfredo (perhaps it was the garlic) and it definitely has to be served hot to maintain the consistency of the cheeses. Next time I may omit the garlic and go with a cheddar. Thanks RG for the inspiration.
Well, I must say you went astray from my version. Doesn't seem like you would try it again. I will have to have you over for the version I tried. I went with a classic recipe from my girl Ina from the FN. The Neelys had one two. I agree with trying different cheese to make it your own. You also have to tell me about TJ's?
ReplyDeleteI see Anonymous beat me to it. I watched the Neely's on the FoodNetwork make this a week or so ago. I had never heard of it until then and it seemed to make sense. Personally,I prefer my lobster to stand alone. I'm inspired by your cheese combo though. I've made three new recipes so far this week as part of my New Years resolution to break out of our dinner rut. It's been fun (and healthy while tasty). Happy New Year.
ReplyDeleteI had to make up my own recipe because my FB friend (RG) hadn't posted any details so I wasn't sure how it was supposed to look or taste. I guess all that matters is that the family loved it.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I try to avoid "recipes", I just took a look at Ina's http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/lobster-mac-and-cheese-recipe/index.html and will likely try that version in a couple of weeks (with quinoa shells - a healthy alternative to pasta) - I was tempted to do gruyere and extra sharp, but went crazy instead.
Thanks for the feedback...keep reading and happy cooking!