Lobster Mac and Cheese

I have wanted to make Lobster Mac and Cheese for the longest time. So when I was having a crummy week, I thought it would be the perfect pick-me up. (I treat myself really well, don’t I?) Continental, a restaurant in Old City and Midtown, Philadelphia, have the most fantastic Lobster Mac and Cheese. Made with orzo, the restaurants use Fontina and Gruyere cheese to make a creamy, crave-worthy meal. I used a FoodNetwork.com recipe as a base with Continental’s version as inspiration.

I headed to DiBruno Bros. to pick up my cheeses, and they were somehow out of both Fontina and Gruyere. Sad day. DiBruno Bros. never disappoints though, and the cheesemonger helped me choose two cheeses: Comté and Tomme de Berger. Comté is very similar to Gruyere but is from France (rather than Switzerland). It has a slight nutty flavor to it, and melts wonderfully (it’s commonly used in fondue). Tomme de Berger also has a bit of a nutty flavor and is a blend of sheep and goat’s milk. If you can’t find these, substitute Gruyere for the Comté and Fontina for the Tomme de Berger.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups orzo
• 1 pint milk
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 8 ounces Comté cheese, grated
• 6 ounces Tomme de Berger, grated
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 pound cooked lobster meat
• 1 1/2 cups bread crumbs
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Cook the orzo according to directions. Drain and set aside.

Grate your cheese.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Heat the milk in a saute pan over low heat (you don’t want to boil it). In a large pot, melt 6 tablespoons of butter and add the flour. Cook, stirring with a whisk over low heat for 2 minutes.

Mmmm. Melty, crunchy, lobster-y goodness. The Tomme de Berger added a slight tanginess to the dish that I really liked. It worked so well with the lobster!

I wanted to use panko breadcrumbs, but I ran out. I think they would add a really nice light crunchiness to the dish, but normal breadcrumbs worked just fine.

This can also be made mostly ahead of time. You can make the mac and cheese orzo ahead of time and refrigerate and just assemble and cook when you’re ready to eat.

(The mac and cheese by itself is a pretty awesome reheated meal as well).

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Lobster Mac and Cheese

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

• 2 cups orzo
• 1 pint milk
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 8 ounces Comté cheese, grated
• 6 ounces Tomme de Berger, grated
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 pound cooked lobster meat
• 1 1/2 cups bread crumbs
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Instructions

1. Cook the orzo according to directions. Drain and set aside.
2. Grate your cheese.
3. Chop the lobster into large pieces.
4. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
5. Heat the milk in a saute pan over low heat (you don’t want to boil it).
6. In a large pot, melt 6 tablespoons of butter and add the flour. Cook, stirring with a whisk over low heat for 2 minutes.
7. Slowly add the milk and cook for 2 minutes, until it begins to thicken.
8. Add the grated cheeses (Comte and Tomme de Berger), 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, and ½ teaspoon nutmeg.
9. Add the orzo. and stir to combine.
10. Add to individual gratin dishes or to a large oven safe dish. Stir in the lobster pieces.
11. Melt 2 tablespoons butter and combine with the bread crumbs and minced garlic.
12. Sprinkle on top of the orzo. Top with Parmesan cheese if desired.
13. Bake for 30 minutes, or until it’s bubbly and browned on top.

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