Two of my favorite things are Macaroni & Cheese and Lobster. Put these together and I have died and gone to Heaven! So, needless to say, I order it whenever I see it on a menu. As with all recipes, some restaurants do a much better job at the dish than others. Carrabba’s executes a solid Lobster Mac & Cheese, Bonefish Grill does too. But for my money, The Capital Grille’s is the best! Speaking of money, the tasty side dish for 4 is going to cost you over $21.
According to the internet (and the internet is always true!), The Capital Grille serves the most coveted version of this decadent dish. And for good reason. It is made with a blend of FIVE different specialty cheeses and tons of cold water lobster tail. The creamy, cheesy blend consists of Grana Padano, Mascarpone, Sharp White Cheddar, Parmesan and Creamy Havarti. Oh, my! And the pasta shape is fun, too. TCG uses a shape called Campanelle, which somewhat reminds me of an ear. Barilla makes a Campanelle pasta shape but it can be tricky to find. Some of your up-scale or specialty grocery stores like Fresh Market or Whole Foods will likely carry it or you can find it on my Amazon Storefront. But, if you can’t find it or don’t feel like spending the time to look for it, just use Barilla Cavatappi and it will give the same fancy effect.
For the lobster tail, I suggest using only cold water (Maine) lobster meat. Florida lobster tails tend to get a little tough and chewy while Maine lobster meat is delicate and tender. To cut down on expense, feel free to use frozen lobster tails. You can even purchase them at Walmart, so they are always available.
Get ready for this side dish to be your new go-to Holiday menu addition. And chances are, you’ll love it so much that it will make several appearances throughout the year.
Serve with The Capital Grille’s Smoky Brussels Sprouts and Ruth’s Chris Steak House’s Stuffed Chicken Breast and Enjoy!
Ingredients
- 4 5oz. cold water lobster tails
- 1 quart of heavy cream
- 1 LB. Campanelle pasta
- 8 oz. creamy Havarti cheese, freshly grated
- 8 oz. Grana Padano, freshly grated
- 8 oz. mascarpone, softened
- 2 oz. sharp, white cheddar; freshly grated
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
- ½ cup Panko breadcrumbs, unseasoned
- 2 TBL unsalted butter, melted
- Pinch Kosher salt
Instructions
Boil the Campanelle pasta in salted water for 3 minutes less than the al dente instructions. You want the pasta to be very firm. Drain, rinse with cold water and set aside.
Remove the shells from the lobster tails, discard shells. Poach the lobster tails in 1 ½” of simmering water for 3 minutes. When the lobster tails turn bright red and begin to curl, remove them from the poaching water and dry off. Cut into 1” chunks and set aside.
In a large sauté pan, bring the cream to a simmer. Whisk in the Havarti, Mascarpone, Cheddar and Grana Padano cheeses. Continue to whisk until all the cheese is melted. Reduce the cheese sauce on a low heat for 5 minutes, until the cheese sauce sticks to the back of a spoon.
Add the cooked pasta and 2/3 of the lobster meat to the cheese sauce. Mix well and transfer to a non-stick casserole dish.
Top the casserole dish with the rest of the lobster chunks.
In a small mixing bowl, mix the Panko crumbs, Parmesan cheese and melted butter until all the breadcrumbs are softened by the butter. Top the entire casserole dish with the Parm/Panko mixture.
Bake in a preheated 375-degree oven, on a center rack for 10-15 minutes; until the crumbs are golden brown and the edges are bubbly. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
FULL TUTORIAL VIDEO
