Lobster Mac and Cheese -- Because Some Celebrations Deserve Better Than the Restaurant Got Right

Brittany's graduation was this weekend. Patricia's oldest girl, graduating from pharmacy school in Jacksonville. I was not going to miss it. Earl couldn't come — the drive and the heat and the sitting for hours were too much — but I went. Denise drove me. Three hours on I-95 with Denise, who is a nervous driver and who grips the steering wheel like she's afraid it might escape. I told her to relax. She told me to stop telling her to relax. We arrived alive, which is what matters.

Brittany walked across that stage in her cap and gown and I stood up. I stood up in the audience like I was at a revival. Patricia grabbed my arm and whispered, "Mama, sit down." I whispered back, "I will not sit down. That is my granddaughter becoming a pharmacist and I will stand if I want to." I stood. Patricia gave up. Brittany saw me standing and smiled, and that smile was worth three hours on I-95 with Denise's driving.

After the ceremony, we went to a restaurant — a nice one, the kind with cloth napkins and a menu I needed my reading glasses for. Wayne took everyone. I ordered the shrimp and grits because I always order shrimp and grits when it's on a menu so I can compare it to mine. It was fine. The grits were too thin and the shrimp were overcooked and the cheese was wrong. I ate it politely and made notes in my head. My shrimp and grits remain undefeated.

Brittany sat next to me at dinner and said, "Granny Dot, I want you to know that every time I didn't think I could do it, I thought about you. Working in that school kitchen for thirty years. Getting up at four in the morning. Never complaining." I said, "Baby, I complain constantly. Ask your mother." Patricia said, "She does." We all laughed. But I held Brittany's words in my chest the way you hold a warm cup on a cold day. To know that your life — your regular, unglamorous, cornbread-and-collards life — inspired someone to keep going? That is more than enough. That is everything.

Now go on and feed somebody.

The shrimp and grits at that restaurant were not bad enough to send back, but they were not good enough to stop me from thinking about how I would have done it differently. That is the thing about ordering comfort food at a nice place with cloth napkins — it reminds you of what your own kitchen is capable of. I did not make shrimp and grits when I got home. I made something even more celebratory, something that says my granddaughter is a pharmacist now in every single bite: Lobster Mac and Cheese, the kind that takes a little patience and rewards you considerably. Brittany deserved a dish with some ceremony to it, and so did the rest of us who drove three hours to be in that room when she walked across that stage.

Lobster Mac and Cheese

Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 40 minutes | Total Time: 1 hour | Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 1 lb cavatappi or elbow macaroni
• 1 lb cooked lobster meat, roughly chopped (from about 2 tails, or good-quality frozen lobster, thawed)
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter, divided
• 1 small shallot, finely minced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups whole milk, warmed
• 1 cup heavy cream, warmed
• 2 cups sharp white cheddar cheese, freshly shredded
• 1 cup Gruyère cheese, freshly shredded
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated, plus extra for topping
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt, plus more for pasta water
• 1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
• 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted (for topping)
• 2 tbsp fresh chives or flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped, for garnish

Instructions

1. Preheat and prep. Preheat your oven to 375°F. Butter a 9x13-inch baking dish and set aside. Shred your cheeses by hand — pre-shredded cheese has coatings that keep it from melting smoothly into a sauce, and this dish deserves better than that.
2. Cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta 2 minutes less than the package directions call for — it will finish in the oven. Drain and set aside, tossing lightly with a drizzle of olive oil to keep it from clumping.
3. Build the roux. In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven, melt 3 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add the shallot and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds more. Sprinkle in the flour and stir constantly for 1 to 2 minutes until the mixture smells faintly nutty and has turned a pale gold. Do not rush this step.
4. Make the sauce. Slowly pour in the warm milk and cream, whisking constantly to keep lumps from forming. Raise the heat to medium-high and continue whisking until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 5 to 7 minutes. Reduce heat to low.
5. Add the cheese. Stir in the Dijon mustard, smoked paprika, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Add the cheddar, Gruyère, and Parmesan in three additions, stirring until fully melted between each addition. Taste and adjust seasoning. The sauce should be rich, silky, and just a little sharp.
6. Fold in the pasta and lobster. Add the drained pasta to the sauce and stir gently to coat. Fold in the lobster meat, being careful not to break up the pieces too much. You want pockets of lobster in every serving, not shreds throughout. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish and spread evenly.
7. Make the topping. Combine the panko breadcrumbs with the 2 tablespoons of melted butter and a pinch of salt. Mix until every crumb is coated. Scatter evenly over the top of the mac and cheese, then finish with a small handful of extra Parmesan.
8. Bake. Bake uncovered at 375°F for 22 to 25 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the sauce is bubbling at the edges. If the top needs more color in the last few minutes, switch on the broiler briefly — but watch it, because panko goes from golden to burned faster than you might expect.
9. Rest and serve. Let the dish rest for 5 minutes before serving. Scatter fresh chives or parsley over the top. Serve hot, with something green on the side and people who earned a celebration at the table.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 710 | Protein: 40g | Fat: 36g | Carbs: 58g | Fiber: 2g | Sodium: 830mg