The Mac Daddy of Mac & Cheese...

The Mac Daddy of Mac & Cheese... Langostino Truffle Mac & Cheese

We’ve all heard people say that “things happen in three’s” The trinity. The Triad. The Triangle. Britney Spears song 1,2,3…. yes, the magic combination of three. You get where I’m going with this… Well for me, my “magic 3” happens to be... Macaroni & Cheese, Truffles & Langostinos.

Now let’s break this down… let’s start with the basic Macaroni & Cheese. What’s there to say about it. It comes in a box with elbow macaroni that you boil in hot water for 7 ½ minutes exactly, drain and add a bunch of butter, a splash of milk and some bright orange powder to it to make it oh so cheesy! Right? WRONG!!!!! This macaroni and cheese alone if made with out theLangostinos or Truffle oil packs some SERIOUS flavor! The combination of cheeses, with the cream and butter…. It’s the Mac-Daddy of all Mac & Cheeses.

Then there’s the Truffle Oil…. Decadence is what comes to my mind when I think of Truffle Oil. The aroma alone just makes me do a happy dance. (No, I’m not showing you my happy dance!) It adds another dimension to it that I can’t even explain… you’d have to eat it. It’s a relatively inexpensive way of adding actual Truffles that can cost so much and is worth the initial investment, as such a small amount is generally used.

And finally Langostinos. You might be saying, what is a Langostino? Well, it’s debatable… some will say that it’s part of the crustacean family of crab & shrimp and others will say they’re like mini lobsters. I’m going to go with the latter, cause that’s what they taste like to me. Delicious little lobsters with a buttery delicate flavor!

So there it is… my trinity. My three. My 1,2, 3…. and oh what a three they are!

Langostino Truffle Mac N Cheese

1 pound Langostino tails

1 pound Cavatappi Pasta

¾ stick of butter

½ cup heavy cream

1 cup milk

½ cup Chipotle Gruyere, shredded

½ cup Fontina Cheese, shredded

½ cup Smoked Gruyere, shredded

½ cup Cheddar/Jack shredded

½ cup to 1 cup of plain bread crumbs

2 teaspoons Truffle Oil

salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees and spray a pyrex dish with non stick spray

Add all of the cheese to a separate bowl and combine thoroughly

Cook pasta according to directions on the box

In a sauté pan add cream, milk, butter & truffle oil and bring to a low boil/simmer. Once butter is completely melted, add Langostinos. Allow to simmer for about 5-6 minutes.

Once pasta is fully cooked, begin assembly. Add a layer of pasta on the bottom of the pyrex. Follow with a layer of the combined cheeses, breadcrumbs and ½ of the Langostino/ cream sauce. Repeat same step again- only this time putting a final layer of cheese and breadcrumbs on top of the Langostinos to make a crispy crust on the top.

Place in the oven covered for 35 to 45 minutes to allow the pasta to absorb some of the sauce. Remove foil and allow to cook for another 10 minutes to turn to a golden brown on top.

**sidenote**

This recipe can also be done with Lobster Tails cut into pieces.

I use a Chipotle Gruyere to add a little smoky heat to the dish… you can use a Jalepeno Jack or any sort of cheese with a spice to it to add that flavor! Get creative with the cheeses! Use any type you really like!

A dash of mustard powder is great in this dish too if you like that flavor… it’ll make your guests say, “ I know that flavor! What’s in there?”

This freezes extremely well. If you don’t finish it all, put in smaller containers and just pull it out of the freezer any night of the week as a great side dish!