Monday, April 15, 2013

Lobster Macaroni & Cheese


One thing I always keep in my freezer is frozen lobster meat (langoustine, to be precise).  I buy them at my local COSTCO.  They are precooked, tasty and very convenient.  When needed, all I have to do is just defrost and I can eat as they are or add straight to my cooking dish.

Frozen lobster meat is particularly useful when I want simple dishes to be boosted and look more gorgeous, such as spaghetti aglio olio e peperoncino (spaghetti simply cooked with garlic and chile).  The volume is boosted and the dish becomes a gorgeous evening meal.

This time, I added some lobster meat to a simple macaroni & cheese together with some chopped tarragon.  This is an awesome and completely different dish from the one you remember at the school canteen.

Moreover, the recipe that I created includes low-fat milk and cheese without butter!


Ingredients for 2 to 3 people
6 oz macaroni
some salt
4 tablespoons Panko (Japanese style bread crumbs)
1/2 oz freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon paprika
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon (depending on how hot you prefer) cayenne pepper
1/2 litre (2 cups + 4 teaspoons) 1 % low fat milk
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
some olive oil
1/2 small onion, finely chopped
1 - 2 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon tomato paste
3 1/4 oz low-fat Cheddar cheese
salt and black pepper to taste
10 - 11 oz frozen lobster meat (defrost and lightly squeeze to remove excess liquid)
1 tablespoon chopped tarragon leaves


Instructions
Boil plenty of water for the macaroni and add a good teaspoonful of salt.  Cook the macaroni until al dente.  Drain and set aside.

In a small mixing bowl, place the panko, Parmesan cheese, paprika and cayenne pepper. Mix well and set aside.

Take 3 - 4 tablespoons milk, add to the flour and stir well.  Add the flour mixture to the rest of the milk and stir well until the flour mixture is completely dissolved.

Heat some olive oil in a frying pan and cook the onion for 2 - 3 minutes or until soft.  Add the garlic and cook for a further 1 minute.

Pour the milk/flour mixture into the frying pan and, constantly whisking, bring to a boil. 
Add one third of the cheese at a time and stir well between each addition until the cheese is melted.

Add the tomato paste to the frying pan and stir well until the paste is blended and the colour of the sauce becomes pinkish.  Season with salt and pepper, then add the cooked macaroni and lobster meat and mix evenly.  (Do not cook too long or the macaroni becomes soggy and you lose the lobster's delicious flavour.)

Remove the frying pan from the heat and stir in the tarragon.

Transfer the mixture to a casserole dish greased with a little of the olive oil, sprinkle the panko mixture evenly and cook in a preheated oven at 400F for 25 - 30 minutes or until it browns.

Sprinkle some chopped tarragon and serve hot.


Before you go, click the ranking banners below 
to keep me near the top of the blog rankings.
Many thanks and see you soon! 
 
  にほんブログ村 料理ブログ 各国料理(レシピ)へ

Below is the Japanese version of the recipe.  If you would like to read this recipe in Japanese with pictures covering every step, please click HERE.

Bon appetit!



<材料 3人分>
マカロニ...160g
塩...適宜
パン粉...大さじ4
パルメザンチーズ...15g
パプリカ...小さじ1
ケイエン(カイエン)ペッパー...小さじ1/4~1/2(好みの辛さで!)
牛乳...500ml
小麦粉...大さじ2
オリーブオイル...適宜
たまねぎ、みじん切り...小1/2個
にんにく、みじん切り...1~2かけ
トマトペースト...大さじ1
チェダーチーズ(あればカロリーオフのもの)、融けやすい大きさに切る...100g
塩ブラックペッパー...適宜
冷凍ロブスターの身(または蟹の身など)、解凍し水分を絞る...300g
タラゴンの葉のみじん切り...大さじ1程度
 


<作り方>
1.マカロニは塩を加えたたっぷりの湯でアルデンテに茹で、ざるに空け水きりする。 

2.パン粉、パルメザンチーズ、パプリカ、ケイエンペッパーを合わせ、トッピングを作っておく

3.上記分量の牛乳の内大さじ3~4で小麦粉を溶き、残りの牛乳に加えてよく混ぜ合わせる。 

4.フライパンにオリーブオイルを熱したまねぎを炒める。2、3分炒めてしんなりしたら、にんにくを加えて更に1分程度炒める。 

5.4に小麦粉を加えた牛乳を全て注ぎ入れ、泡だて器で混ぜながら煮立てる。少しとろみが出てきたらチェダーチーズを数回に分けて加える。加える度によく混ぜ合わせて完全に溶かす。

6.5にトマトペーストを加える。よく混ぜ合わせ全体が満遍なくピンク色に染まったら、塩、ブラックペッパーで味を調え、マカロニ、ロブスターの順に加え混ぜ合わせる。(マカロニとロブスターは混ぜ合わさればそれで良いので、調理し過ぎないでね!) 

7.マカロニとロブスターが全体に満遍なく行き渡ったら、火を止めてタラゴンを加えさっと混ぜ合わせる。 

8.オリーブオイルを薄く塗ったグラタン皿に7を入れ、均一に広げ、表面に2のトッピングを満遍なくまぶす。200度で予熱を済ませたオーブンで25~30分、またはこんがり焼き目が付くまで焼く。


Before you go, click the ranking banners below 
to keep me near the top of the blog rankings.
Many thanks and see you soon! 
 
  にほんブログ村 料理ブログ 各国料理(レシピ)へ

No comments:

Post a Comment

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.