Lobster & Corn Mac & Cheese

When I think of mac and cheese I usually think of cold weather comfort food, but I had a bunch of corn left over from a farmers market haul so decided to try and lighten up this classic cheesy dish. The combo of sweet corn, lobster and fresh thyme really give this dish a tru summer vibe and the smoked gouda cheese helps to balance out all the flavors.

So cook this up for your next party and watch everyone run back for seconds!

servings: 6-8 (depending on how hungry you are)

prep time: 7 min

cook time: 45 min

Ingredients:

• 4 tbsp butter, divided into 2 tbsp portions

• 1/2 shallot

• 1 tbsp fresh thyme

• 2 ears sweet corn

• 2 lobster tails - meat pulled out and chopped

• 1 - 1 1/2 cups milk

• 2 tbsp flour

• 6 oz smoked gouda, shredded, 2 oz set aside

• 6 oz mozzarella, shredded, 2 oz set aside

• salt & pepper to taste

• 1 box cooked pasta of your choice

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. In a cast iron skillet or other oven safe pot, melt 2 tbsp of butter.

3. Add in the shallots and thyme and cook til translucent.

4. Next, in the corn and cook for approximately 5 min or until corn is tender.

5. Then add the chopped lobster to the pot and cook just til lobster is white - be careful not to overcook as this is going into the oven later!

6. Remove the corn & lobster mixture from the dish and set aside.

7. In the same dish, over medium-low heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter. Add the flour and whisk together until the butter and flour mixture forms small bubbles with a faint tint of color, about 2 minutes.

8. Add 1 cup of the milk and whisk until the mixture is smooth. You may need to add more milk to reach the desired consistency.

9. Cook on medium-high heat until the mixture is thickened (about 3-5 minutes) and no longer tastes of raw flour.

10. Add in the smoked gouda and mozzarella cheeses and stir until melted and a nice cheese sauce has formed. Add salt & pepper to taste.

11. Add in the corn and lobster mixture and the cooked pasta to the cheese sauce. Stir to combine and coat all the noodles.

12. Top with the remaining cheese and then bake in the oven for 30 min or until it is bubbly and the cheese on top is golden.