Lobster Mac and Cheese

I saw it in one of Bobby Flay's Throwdown episodes. I kinda forgot the place or the restaurant that makes it.  All I know is they use Maine lobster meat, mascarpone and sharp cheddar cheese with the other ingredients milk, salt and pepper, unsalted butter and flour. I can do all of the above but the Maine lobster. So I opted for the cute langostinos in the freezer section of Trader Joe's. I know that nothing can compare with the real fresh lobster meat (ahh memories of Sta. Barbara) but this will do for now. I topped the casserole with Panko bread crumbs which I drizzled with melted unsalted butter. The crunchy topping gives a beautiful contrast to the creamy and cheesy macaroni- not salty with a hint of nutmeg and just delicious. I adapted the recipe here and here's how I made it.

Ingredients:

Kosher salt

vegetable oil

1 pound elbow macaroni

1 quart milk

1 stick unsalted butter, divided

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup grated Gruyere cheese

1 cup grated mozzarella cheese

2 cups grated sharp Cheddar

1 cup Mascarpone cheese

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1 pound cooked langostino meat

1 cup Panko bread crumbs

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain well and set aside

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, Mascarpone and mozzarella, 1 tablespoon salt, the pepper, and nutmeg.

Add the cooked macaroni and lobster and stir well.

Spread the mixture in a buttered pyrex dish.

Sprinkle Panko bread crumbs evenly

Drizzle with melted butter

Bake until the top is lightly golden- about 35 minutes.