Recipe: Disney Cruise Line’s Three-Cheese Lobster Macaroni & Crystal Cruises’ Strawberry & Black Pepper Gin and Tonic

Disney Cruise Line is not just for kids, and neither is its recipe for Three-Cheese Lobster Macaroni which can be found at Lumiere’s on Disney Magic, and Triton’s on Disney Wonder. Succulent lobster meat can be found in every cheesy bite, making it the perfect way to celebrate National Cheese Lovers Day on January 20^th. We recommend kicking the celebration up a notch and pairing this rich, creamy dish with Crystal Cruises’ Strawberry & Black Pepper Gin & Tonic. This new twist on an old classic blends complementary herbs, spices and garnishes to create a brand new flavor profile.  

Three-Cheese Lobster Macaroni – Disney Cruise Line

Serves 6 to 8 people

Three-Cheese Sauce Ingredients:

·       3 tablespoons butter

·       2 shallots, finely diced

·       1/2 fennel bulb, sliced thin

·       2 celery stalks, finely diced

·       1 leek, finely diced

·       3 cups Chardonnay

·       5 stalks fresh tarragon, leaves reserved for garnish

·       6 cups of heavy cream

·       3 tablespoons butter, softened

·       3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

·       1 1/2 cups grated Gruyère

·       1/1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese

·       1 cup shaved Parmesan

·       Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

Steamed Lobster Ingredients:

·       6 ounces lobster meat

·       1 1/2 cups white wine 

Parmesan Crisps Ingredients:

·       8 tablespoons shaved parmesan

Macaroni Ingredients:

·       1-pound box rigatoni, cooked al dente

Three-Cheese Sauce Instructions:

·     Melt butter in 4-quart saucepan over medium heat; add shallots, fennel, celery, and leeks, and sauté until tender.

·     Stir in the Chardonnay and tarragon stalks, increase heat to medium-high, and simmer for about 15 minutes or until reduced by 3/4. Add the cream and simmer for about 10 minutes or until reduced by 1/3.

·     Strain sauce through a sieve into a 2-quart saucepan. Return to stove over medium heat. Mix butter and flour in small bowl; stir into cream sauce and simmer for 5 to 6 minutes to thicken.

·   Add Gruyère, cheddar, and Parmesan and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring constantly, or until it reaches a consistency of a thick cream. (Sauce thickens more as it cools.) 

Lobster Instructions:

·     Cut lobster into bite-sized pieces.

·     Heat wine in a medium saucepan with a steamer insert, over medium-high heat until boiling. Reduce heat so that wine simmers; add lobster to steamer basket, cover and cook about 3to 5 minutes or until lobster changes from translucent to white; remove from heat, setting aside 1/4 cup for garnish.

Parmesan Crisps Instructions:

·     Preheat oven to 300°F. Place 1 tablespoon Parmesan on baking sheet lined with parchment paper; lightly shape into an oval. Repeat with remaining cheese, spacing about 1/2 inch apart.

·      Bake 10 minutes or until golden and crisp. Cool. 

To Serve:

·       Cut tarragon leaves into thin strips. Stir together rigatoni and cheese sauce, coating evenly.

·       Fold in lobster, reserving 1/4 cup for garnish.

·       Season to taste with salt and pepper.

·       Garnish with tarragon, lobster, and Parmesan crisps; serve immediately.

Strawberry & Black Pepper Gin and Tonic – Crystal Cruises

Ingredients:

·       Martin Miller’s Gin

·       Fresh Strawberries

·       Black Pepper

·       Fever Tree Indian Tonic Water

 Instructions:

·       Use a wooden spoon to muddle strawberries and place in a large Spanish “copa” glass in lieu of the traditional high ball.

·       Pour gin and top with tonic water over the muddled strawberries.

·       Add a few black pepper flakes.