Lobster mac 'n' cheese with herb butter

Name: Lobster mac 'n' cheese with herb butter recipe
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 1kg live lobster; 120g unsalted butter; 2 garlic cloves, crushed; 1/2 bunch dill, finely chopped; 1/2 bunch chives, finely chopped; 1/2 bunch parsley, finely chopped; 1/3 cup (50g) plain flour; 1/4 tsp smoked paprika, plus extra to serve; 3 cups (750ml) milk; 150g coarsely grated Comté cheese (a French hard cheese from cow’s milk); 300g shell pasta, cooked to packet instructions, drained, refreshed

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by Phoebe Wood

Jul 26, 2019

The most luxurious mac 'n' cheese you'll ever make.

1kg live lobster
120g unsalted butter
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1/2 bunch dill, finely chopped
1/2 bunch chives, finely chopped
1/2 bunch parsley, finely chopped
1/3 cup (50g) plain flour
1/4 tsp smoked paprika, plus extra to serve
3 cups (750ml) milk
150g coarsely grated Comté cheese (a French hard cheese from cow’s milk)
300g shell pasta, cooked to packet instructions, drained, refreshed

Method

1.

Freeze lobster for 2 hours to put to sleep. Remove from freezer and place on its back. Place a sharp knife beneath mouth parts and cut through head, then back towards tail, halving lobster. Discard intestinal vein, stomach sac and gills. Preheat oven to 200°C. Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil over high heat. Cook lobster for 7 minutes or until just cooked. Refresh in iced water, then cut in half. Remove meat and roughly chop. Wash shell under cold running water, then place, cut-side up, in a 6-cup (1.5L) baking dish.
2.

Melt butter in a frypan over medium heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until softened. Add herbs and stir to combine. Transfer one-third herb butter to a jug and set aside. Add flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Stir in paprika. Gradually add milk, 1 cup at a time, stirring until smooth. Bring to a simmer and simmer for 5 minutes or until thickened. Stir in half the Comté, then lobster and pasta. Season. Spoon mac and cheese into and around lobster shells and top with remaining 75g cheese. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden and bubbling. Top with reserved herb butter and extra paprika.