370412 Mon Feb 12 13:29:39 -0800 2007 7 31 Home Cooking 0 2285444 I want to make lobster macaroni and cheese for Valentine's day, but am not sure which recipe to try. There are a couple of recipes on foodnetwork.com: http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_12155,00.html?rsrc=search http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_35764,00.html?rsrc=search And one on epicurious.com: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/recipe_views/views/230624 Can anyone recommend one of these recipes in particular? Or a different recipe? Mon Feb 12 13:29:39 -0800 2007 13664 Anya L 1 2285664 Do you have access to any Cook's Illustrated recipes? I would start with theirs (or a favorite regular mac 'n cheese recipe) and then add in some cooked lobster meat. Or crab. But both might be overkill (like the epicurious recipe). The Food Network ones both look good, although I'm personally not a fan of truffles. I have nothing against them, I just don't get the craze. Lately, I've taken to making mac 'n cheese much like a fondue - start with some broth/beer/wine and add in shredded cheese tossed with flour (1 lb cheese to 1 Tb flour?) until it's smooth and cheesy, then pour it over pasta. We had leftover Rondele cheese (that herby spreadable "cheese") so I tossed in a scoop of that for some flavoring, too. It turns out nicely, I think. If you're unsure of a new recipe, why not make crab mac 'n cheese? It'll be less expensive... I don't get the allure of using lobster in the dish. Don't you lose the subtle taste of plain lobster? Or, make plain mac 'n cheese and serve lobster on the side. I know you probably have the menu all set up, but I much prefer lobster and butter all by itself, not in a dish. Mon Feb 12 14:24:33 -0800 2007 2285444 42944 leanneabe 2 2286081 Thanks. I am actually planning to use 2 frozen petite lobster tails which were on sale at Safeway for $8 each. So I don't expect these to be the yummiest lobster ever, or I would serve them more simply. But I also don't want the cheese to completely overpower the flavor of the lobster, if possible. I definitely prefer not having to also get shrimp and crab as called for in the epicurious recipe. Mon Feb 12 16:16:08 -0800 2007 2285664 13664 Anya L 3 2286115 Hmm... well, if you already have the lobster... How about making a bechamel sauce? Start with a light roux, add in milk (half/half, cream, whatever) and then stir in Boursin or Rondele cheese and maybe some parmesan. It's not traditional mac 'n cheese, I guess it's more like a lobster alfredo, but you won't have to worry about cheddar or other cheeses overpowering the lobster. Mon Feb 12 16:26:59 -0800 2007 2286081 42944 leanneabe 1 2288733 I was planning on making the Epicurious recipe this weekend, let me know how yours works out! Tue Feb 13 11:20:02 -0800 2007 2285444 67548 azhotdish 1 2295662 I ended up making up my own recipe. I sauteed chunks of lobster meat in butter, then set them aside. I added more butter to the pan, sauteed chopped shallot, then made bechamel. Then I stirred in fontina and parmesan cheeses. I added cooked shell pasta, peas, and the lobster meat. I drizzled truffle oil over each serving. It was very rich and decadent and my husband loved it. I liked it a lot too, although the lobster did get a little overpowered by the cheese, but I didn't mind too much. Cooking everything in the same pan did help bring out the lobster flavor. If I'd had time to make lobster stock, I would have used some of that in the sauce. My husband wants me to make it again, so it was definitely a success. Thu Feb 15 09:59:57 -0800 2007 2285444 13664 Anya L 2 2295778 Thanks for the update. Glad it worked out so well! I still think I'm going to follow the Epicurious recipe, though I'm a little nervous doing the live lobster thing. Should I be? I've never done it before. Thu Feb 15 10:23:27 -0800 2007 2295662 67548 azhotdish 2 2306595 Did the Epicurious recipe yesterday - it's definitely worth the effort. The lobster stock really added richness to the sauce and it didn't overwhelm the chunks of lobster throughout. I'd recommend trying it out if you have the time. Mon Feb 19 08:28:25 -0800 2007 2295662 67548 azhotdish