Lobster Mac ‘n’ Cheese – An Adult Take on a Childhood Classic

On February 3, 2021February 3, 2021 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Recipes7 Comments

We love lobster and we love cheese, so having lobster mac ‘n’ cheese was an obvious choice for us to make. We have had it served in different restaurants during our travels, including during our visit to the England. It is easy to make, but with most meals, the fresher the ingredients, the better. In today’s global world, it is possible to get many things delivered overnight and that is true for getting fresh lobster as well. Despite the simplicity of the dish, it is certainly something that can be served for a more formal meal. You can cook it in a baking dish, but we chose to bake it individual bowls to make serving it that much easier. Not only was it super delicious that night for dinner, it was just as wonderful as leftovers the following day.

INGREDIENTS

1 lb Cooked Lobster Meat – cut into bite size chunks
2/3 lb Elbow Macaroni – cooked slightly al dente and drained
22 oz Heavy Cream
8 oz Milk
6 tbsp Unsalted Butter
8 oz Gruyere Cheese – shredded
6 oz Extra-Sharp Cheddar Cheese – shredded
2/3 cups All-Purpose Flour
1/3 tsp Ground Black Pepper
1/3 tsp Nutmeg – grated
1 cup Panko or Bread Crumbs
Salt to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

In a large pot, melt 4 tablespoons of butter over medium heat, add the flour and whisk to create a roux. Heat the cream and milk in a microwave until hot, but not to a boil. Slowly add the cream and milk while continuing to whisk until smooth. Remove from the heat and add the gruyere and cheddar cheese, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Stir in the macaroni and lobster until everything is evenly coded in the cheese sauce. Add to oven-safe, individual bowls that have been sprayed with cooking spray for easier cleanup (or baking dish). Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and mix with the panko. Evenly cover each of the bowls with the panko mix and then place them in a pre-heated oven at 375 degrees and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until the sauce is bubbling and the panko is evenly browned.

Digging In to the Lobster Mac ‘n’ Cheese

Fresh Seafood Paella with Clams, Mussels, and Shrimp

On January 13, 2021January 13, 2021 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Food, Recipes, Spain5 Comments

Like many people, we really enjoy paella because it is versatile and not particularly complicated to make. Obviously we associate paella the time that we spent in Spain, but we’ve also had it in resorts in Mexico as well as the Caribbean. The key to making seafood paella is making sure that you are using the freshest seafood possible. We actually had the clams and mussels shipped to us from a company called Maine Lobster Now, which is also where we got our fresh lobster from last year for our anniversary when we were all in lockdown. The other key is using short-grain rice such as Bomba or Calasparra. Fortunately, in these days those are also available online if not in a store near you. Even though it is a simple dish to make and very rustic, it is perfect for a gathering where you can simply put the paella in the center of the table and let people serve themselves. Although we limited it to seafood, you can definitely add chicken thighs to make the dish even more hearty. It is quite common to add peas to a paella, but we have a food allergy in our family, so we did not add them. We made a slightly smaller batch that would serve 3 to 4 people, but it is easy to increase it to serve for a crowd.

INGREDIENTS

6 to 8 Live Clams – scrubbed and cleaned
8 to 10 Live Mussels – scrubbed, cleaned, and debearded
8 to 10 Large Shrimp – peeled and deveined
1 cup Bomba Rice
1/2 Yellow Onion – finely diced
1 Small Clove of Garlic – minced
1/4 cup Red Bell Pepper – cut into strips
1/3 cup Tomato Purée
2 3/4 cups Chicken Stock – preferably homemade
1/4 tsp Saffron
1/2 to 3/4 tsp Smoked Paprika
2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Green Onion for garnish
Salt and Pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

Add the olive oil to a large cast-iron skillet (or a paella pan if you have one, but it isn’t necessary) and heat the oil to medium-high heat. Add the onion and simmer for 2 minutes and then add the garlic to the oil and simmer for and addition 2 to 3 minutes. Add the tomato purée and simmer for another 4 to 5 minutes and the liquid has reduced. Add the chicken stock, saffron, paprika, salt and pepper, and turn the heat to high in order to bring the liquid to a boil. Evenly distribute the rice around the pan and cook the rice for 10 minutes. Place the clams, mussels, and shrimp into the pan, being sure that the seafood doesn’t touch one another, and press them down into the rice and liquid. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes. At this point some of the clams and mussels might have opened. Add the red pepper to the pan and cover (if all of the liquid has absorbed, add a little more stock) and cook for another 5 to 10 minutes, checking every few minutes, until all of the clams and mussels have opened. If any of the clams or mussels don’t open, discard them, but if your seafood is really fresh, there shouldn’t be too many that don’t open. Garnish with the green onion and serve.

Shrimp Fra Diavolo with Angel Hair Pasta

On September 9, 2020September 9, 2020 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Italy, RecipesLeave a comment

Shrimp Fra Diavolo (Brother Devil) is an Italian inspired dish that is spicy and delicious. We served it over a bed of angel hair pasta, but when we had leftovers a couple of days later, we simply served it with a side of garlic toast. If you don’t want it too spicy, you can reduce the amount of red pepper flakes, but this meal is meant to pack some heat. It is one of those easy and yet elegant dinners that can be done on a weeknight or served for a weekend dinner party. It could probably be done with another type of shell fish, but shrimp really holds up well to the flavors and is easy to cook.

INGREDIENTS

1 lb Large Shrimp – peeled and deveined
1/2 Medium Red Onion – sliced
1 (14 1/2 oz) can Diced Tomatoes
1 cup Chicken Stock (or White Wine)
1 tsp Crushed Red Pepper
1 tsp Italian Seasoning
3 cloves Garlic – chopped
2 to 3 tbsp Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper to taste
Angel Hair Pasta – cooked to package directions

INSTRUCTIONS

In a medium bowl, toss the shrimp with the red pepper flakes and a tablespoon of salt. Heat the oil in a large sauté pan to medium-high heat. Add the shrimp to the pan and cook, stirring frequently, until fully cooked and the shrimp have turned pink, about 3 to 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the shrimp to a plate and set aside. Add the onion to the pan and sauté for about 5 minutes or until the onion is soft. Add the tomatoes, chicken stock, garlic, Italian seasoning and simmer for about 10 minutes to thicken the sauce. Add the shrimp back into sauce and bring them back up to temperature, about 2 to 3 minutes. Pour the shrimp and tomatoes over the angel hair pasta and serve.