Lobster Macaroni (Holland America)

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) salted butter

1/4 pound white or sweet onion, very finely minced

5 cups heavy cream

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper

12 tablespoons sea salt

4 live (1-pound) chicken lobsters, or

14 ounces cooked lobster meat

3 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

3 ounces Asiago cheese, grated

1 cup prepared garlic-seasoned croutons, crushed finely

1 pound dried large elbow macaroni

6 ounces grated Italian fontina cheese

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon minced fresh tarragon leaves

6 ounces Delice de Bourgogne, sliced (optional, see note)

In a large saucepan, heat the butter over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low and add the onion. Cook, stirring, until the onion softens, 5 to 8 minutes. (Do not let the onion brown.)

Add the cream and bring the sauce to a simmer. Continue to simmer for 45 minutes, stirring often to avoid scorching, until the cream is slowly reduced by about 20 percent.

Meanwhile, prepare a large bowl of ice water. Remove the cream sauce from the heat and add the salt and pepper. Transfer the sauce to a metal bowl. Place the bowl in the ice water to chill the sauce quickly. Stir the sauce often to ensure that the butter doesn’t separate from the sauce. When cooled, cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Cook the lobster: Bring 6 quarts water to a boil in a large pot filled no more than three-quarters full and add 6 tablespoons of the sea salt. When the water is at a rolling boil, add 2 lobsters, heads first. Cook for 3 1/2 minutes, loosely covering the pot with a lid, then drain and cool at room temperature. Allow the water to return to a boil and repeat the process with the remaining 2 lobsters.

When the lobster is still slightly warm, remove the claws with the knuckles attached. Remove the meat from the knuckles and claws and the cartilage from the claw meat. Using a large knife, split the lobster in half lengthwise, beginning at the tail encl. Remove the tail meat. Remove the intestine from the tail meat and cut all the lobster meat into l-inch chunks. Squeeze the meat out of the legs with a rolling pin. Cover the lobster meat with plastic wrap and refrigerate. (The recipe can be prepared up to this point l day in advance.)

Heat the broiler. In a bowl, combine the cheddar, Asiago, and croutons. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Cook the macaroni in a stockpot of boiling salted water until tender but firm, 6 to 8 minutes. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, bring the reserved cream sauce to a boil and reduce by about 10 percent. Stir in the fontina until melted, then add the reserved lobster and tarragon and cook, stirring gently, until the lobster is heated through, about 1 minute.

When the macaroni is cooked, drain it and transfer it to a large bowl. Pour the lobster sauce over the macaroni and toss gently to coat. Pour the mixture into a large ovenproof casserole dish or divide it among individual ovenproof dishes. Sprinkle with the reserved cheese and crouton mixture. Broil the lobster macaroni and cheese about 3 inches from the heat until the top starts to slightly brown and becomes crisp, about 1 1/2 minutes (watch carefully so the topping doesn’t burn). Immediately top the casserole with slices of Delice de Bourgogne (if using). Serve at once.