Lobster Mac and Cheese

Ingredients:

• 1 pound elbow pasta (or any short cut pasta)
• 9 tbsp butter
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 pound cooked lobster meat, chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, plus more for garnish
• 1 1/2 cups crushed Ritz crackers (about 1 sleeve)
• 1/4 cup flour
• 3 cups whole milk
• 1 1/4 cups sharp white cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1 1/4 cups gruyere cheese, shredded
• 1 cup fontina cheese, shredded
• 4 ounces brie, rind removed and chopped
• 1/4 tsp mustard powder
• 1/4 tsp cayenne
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a baking dish with nonstick spray.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Boil the pasta until al-dente. You want it to have a bit of bite because it will finish cooking in the oven. Drain well.

While the pasta boils add 3 tablespoons butter to a medium skillet and melt. Add the garlic and sauté 30 seconds then add in the lobster meat and sauté for 3-5 minutes. Add the parsley and cook another 30 seconds. Remove the lobster from the pan.

Add another 2 tablespoon of butter to the skillet. Throw in the crushed Ritz crackers and toss to coat. Toast the crumbs for 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently to avoid burning. Once the crumbs are lightly toasted, remove from the heat and set aside.

In the same pot you boiled the pasta, melt the remaining 4 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let cook and bubble for 1 minute, stirring once or twice to avoid burning. Gradually whisk in the milk and raise the heat up to medium-high. Bring the mixture to a boil, whisking frequently until the sauce has thickened, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in all of the cheese, mustard powder, cayenne, salt and pepper. Stir until the cheese is fully melted. Stir in the pasta and about 3/4 of the lobster meat. Transfer to the prepared baking dish.

Evenly sprinkle on the remaining lobster chunks and then the toasted cracker crumbs. Place the baking dish on a baking sheet.

Bake for 20 minutes or until the crumbs are golden brown and the sauce is bubbling.

Remove from the oven and let sit five minutes.