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Foodie Friday: Lobster Shells & Cheese

Food & Drink >

20130622_171817When having people over for dinner it’s good to have an ace up your sleeve. A recipe that is absolutely guaranteed to award you with a room full of admirers at the end of the evening. One such succulent selection that I whip up to make a splash is a variation on the classic shells and cheese.

This all grown up rendition of a staple is packed with lobster and creamy, cheesy bechamel sauce. For those of you that don’t like lobster or prefer crab, you can substitute easily. I often make this with bay shrimp or crab in the same quantity and it turns out great.  I unfortunately do not have a vegan version of this recipe, but for vegetarians leave out the lobster and you are all set.

Serve this dish along with some nice citrus dressed greens and chilled Chardonnay.  Cheers!

Lobster Shells & Cheese

1 lb cooked, assorted lobster meat, chopped

1 lb small pasta shells (cooked and drained)

1 cup medium cheddar cheese, grated

2 cups Gruyère cheese, grated

1 quart milk

3 tablespoons butter

1/2 large sweet onion peeled and rough chopped

1 lemon rind

1 teaspoon whole coriander seed

1/2 teaspoon mustard powder

1 bunch scallions slices thinly on a bias

2 tablespoons AP flour

Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper

With a very sharp knife, carefully slice the rind from a lemon making sure not to include the pith (white part). In a thick bottomed sauce pan add milk, sweet onion, coriander, mustard powder, and lemon rind. Heat mixture over medium heat until the milk reaches a gentle simmer, stirring constantly with a heat resistant rubber spatula cook for about 15 minutes or until slightly reduced.

In a small non stick skillet over low heat combine butter and flour for about 30 seconds or until it starts to bubbles to make your roux. Carefully add the roux into the milk mixture and whisk in completely. Bring bechamel sauce back up to a simmer for about 5 minutes until slightly thickened stirring constantly so it does now stick or scorch. Carefully strain the bechamel sauce into a large non- stick pot through a fine mesh colander making sure to press all the flavor through with your spatula.

Carefully fold in your cheese about a cup at a time over low heat until it’s all added. Fold in your shell and lobster, stirring constantly until the sauce thickens enough to coat the shells and lobster.  Season with kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper immediately. Garnish with scallions.

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Here are some great food events that focus on seafood coming up in the next few weeks.

Saturday, June 29 I Maine Lobster DinnerLincolnville, Maine   Enjoy the comfort and fun of a family-style home-cooked meal in Mid-coast Maine! Each meal contains home-style Maine lobster dinner, drawn butter, baked potato, Jane’s country coleslaw, and iced tea. An additional entree of 5-cheese Mac ‘N Cheese casserole with a side of Jane’s country coleslaw will be available. Side dishes include 5-bean Salad (medley of green beans, wax beans, kidney beans, garbanzo beans, navy beans and onions in a pickling sauce), Pickled Beets (sliced beets with onions and vinegar dressing) and Baked Beans (Maine-style baked beans). Desserts are home-made Ice Cream Sandwiches – chocolate chip cookies with vanilla bean or coffee ice cream and Jane’s Panettone Bread Pudding with vanilla bean ice cream.

Wednesday, July 10 I Dawn Mason Annual Fish Fry 2013Seattle, Washington   This event will benefit Parents for Student Success and First Place School at Imani Village. First Place is a school for homeless and very poor children and Parents for Student Success has no paid employees. Your ticket gets you an all you can eat fish fry dinner, plus a raffle ticket for a door prize.

Thursday, July 11 I Seafood Basics ~ Cooking ClassLincolnville, Maine  In this hands-on class students will discuss and explore the following: selection of local seafood: Maine scallops, clams, mussels, fish, crab, shrimp, and lobster; cleaning of seafood and preparing for cooking via pan-fry, baking, broiling, skewers/grilling, steaming, boiling, broiling; sauces for seafood appetizers glazes and dipping sauces, and appetizers as starters or as entrees/side dishes  skewers, wraps, cups, salads, dips, and more!