Seafood Mac and Cheese
Succulent lobster and crabmeat—plus a splash of white wine—take this mac and cheese to new heights. If you’re using frozen lobster tails, let them thaw in the fridge overnight.
Ingredients
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12 ounces elbow macaroni
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4 (4 ounce) lobster tails, thawed if frozen
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12 ounces shredded Gruyère cheese
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12 ounces Swiss-style processed cheese slices, torn
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5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
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4 tablespoons butter
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1 shallot, chopped
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3 cloves garlic, minced
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2 3/4 cups whole milk
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1/3 cup dry white wine
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1 (6 ounce) can refrigerated lump crabmeat, drained
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1 1/2 teaspoons seafood seasoning, such as Old Bay®, plus more for garnish
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1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
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2 cups cubed day-old crusty country bread
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chopped fresh chives, for garnish
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lemon wedges, for serving
Description
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
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Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook macaroni, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Reserve 2 cups cooking water; drain macaroni. Rinse with cold water; drain again.
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Return reserved pasta water to pot; add lobster tails. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and steam until lobster meat is firm and opaque, about 3 minutes.
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Transfer lobster tails to a tray; let cool 2 to 3 minutes. Remove meat and cut into bite-size pieces. Rinse pot.
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Meanwhile, combine Gruyère, Swiss, and flour in a large bowl.
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Melt 1 tablespoon butter in the empty pasta pot over medium heat. Add shallot and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until shallot is softened, about 3 minutes. Gradually add milk and wine; heat just until bubbles form around edge of pot. Gradually whisk in cheese mixture, 1 cup at a time, just until cheese is melted; mixture may not be completely smooth at this point. Remove from heat. Stir in lobster, crabmeat, 1 teaspoon seafood seasoning, and pepper. Stir in macaroni.
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Pulse bread cubes in a food processor to get large coarse crumbs. Melt remaining 3 tablespoons butter; stir in remaining 1/2 teaspoon seafood seasoning. Add bread crumbs; toss to combine.
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Pour macaroni mixture into prepared baking dish. Top with bread crumb mixture.
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Bake in the preheated oven until hot and bubbly and top is golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Garnish with chives and additional seafood seasoning. Serve with lemon wedges.