Kasim Hardaway

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This is one of the best mac & cheese recipes I've ever tasted: 4-cheese lobster mac & cheese with chili-panko crunch.

Let me break it down for you because this recipe is layered with flavor. It starts with my noodle of choice for mac & cheese, cavatappi noodles. Cavatappi means corkscrew in Italian & it's arguably the perfect shape for a creamy sauce. The twists in the noodles capture more sauce than your typical elbow. If you can't find cavatappi, feel free to substitute with cellantini or fusilli. 

The noodles will swim in a silky smooth 4-cheese sauce that is topped with a crispy chili oil-infused panko topping. While lobster is fairly delicate & typically doesn't pair well with intense flavors, this combo is out of this world.

It's decadence at its finest & you will fall in love with it after your first bite.

4-Cheese Lobster Mac & Cheese with Fried Garlic & Chili Panko Topping

+ 2 tbsp parmesan cheese, shredded, divided

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Cook the cavatappi to desired doneness; drain & set aside. In a pot, melt the butter over medium low heat. Once melted, sprinkle in the flour, whisking continuously until you have a paste; ~2 minutes. Add the milk; whisk until smooth. Add salt & pepper. Whisk. Simmer for 3-4 minutes until thickened. Reduce the heat to low. Slowly add in cheeses—white cheddar, gruyere, fontina & 1/2 cup of parmesan, one by one, stirring well.

cooked lobster, chopped into chunks (3 to 4 tails)

Fold in the pasta & lobster. Transfer to a baking dish. Top with 3/4 cup of white cheddar. Bake for 20 minutes or until bubbly. While baking, prepare chili panko topping.

Sprinkle the chili panko topping over the mac & cheese then bake for an additional 5 minutes or until golden brown & slightly crisped. Garnish with chives, if desired—serve immediately.

In a skillet, toast the panko crumbs over medium high heat until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat, add chili oil & mix until crumbs are well coated. Add parmesan, fried garlic & lemon zest, to preference. Season with salt & pepper to taste. Mix again.

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