This recipe, entered into this year’s Great American Seafood Cook Off Contest by Chef Margaret McLellan, showcases the best of Maine ingredients.

Maine Lobster Mac and Cheese with Wild Blueberry Spiked Greens
Chef Margaret Salt McLellan, 2008 Maine Lobster Chef of the Year
Mac and Cheese
1 pound of high quality dry pasta –(Rigorosa Vesuvio if available is the best) or other shape that will hold sauce well such as mafalda or orzo
8 ounces of mascarpone
4 ounces of creamy goat cheese
Pinch of ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon sea salt
Pinch of white pepper
2 ounces of heavy cream
1 ounce of minced black truffles
3 black winter truffles (sliced paper thin)
Set out all ingredients at room temperature 1 hour before preparing
Bring 2 gallons of salted water to a rolling boil. Cook pasta till al dente. Strain and return to pot. Keep warm.
Stir in mascarpone, goat cheese, and heavy cream. Add seasonings and minced truffles gently. Do not over stir or mix. Cover and keep warm. Reserve sliced truffle for plating time.
Butter poached Maine lobster meat
1½ pounds of fresh cooked Maine lobster meat (claw and knuckle or combination of claw, knuckle, and tail)
1 pound of salted butter
1 Tablespoon of water
Step 1
Beurre Monte (Bur Mahn-tay)
Cut butter into 1 inch chunks. Hold at room temperature up to one hour.
Bring 1 Tablespoon of water to a boil in heavy deep sauté pan. Reduce heat to low. Add butter one or two chunks at a time, whisking to create an emulsion. Once this emulsifies, all the butter may be added. Turn heat to low.
Step 2
Adding Maine lobster meat: If using CK, add meat to beurre monte. Do not chop or cut. If using tail meat, cut tails into one inch medallions. Gently incorporate into butter. Cover and hold at low heat.
Blueberry spiked micro greens
4 ounces of Wild Maine Blueberry Vinaigrette
8 ounces of micro green blend
Wild Maine Blueberry Vinaigrette
1 pint of fresh Maine blueberries
16 ounces of water
4 ounces of sugar
4 ounces rice wine vinegar
12 ounces canola oil
¼ teaspoon lemon juice
Step 1
In heavy large sauce pan bring water to boil. Add cleaned blueberries and sugar. Reduce heat to medium. Cook down till this becomes a thick sauce. Stir often. Remove from heat. Cool to room temperature. Purée in blender.
Step 2
Add rice wine vinegar and lemon juice, pulse to incorporate. Set blender to “blend” setting and slowly add oil through pour spout until this emulsifies. Keeps about two weeks in refrigeration.
Assembly
Step 1
Spoon 4-6 ounces of mac and cheese into center of a pasta bowl or slope sided plate. A ring mold may be used also. Fan 3 slices of paper thin truffles on top.
Step 2
Arrange 3 ounces of Maine lobster meat on top and on side of the mac and cheese. Use equal amounts of claw, knuckle and tail meat. Ladle 1-2 ounces of butter sauce over the meat.
Step 3
Toss greens in 4 ounces of vinaigrette. Using tongs, place in equal portions on top of Lobster Mac and Cheese.
Step 4
Garnish-optional
ENJOY!
Serves 8.


