Recipe #332: Tuna Noodle Casserole

I found a good starting recipe on allrecipes.com and then modified the hell out of it.  I was SO pleased with the results!

Ingredients

• 1 (12 ounce) package egg noodles
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1-2 ribs chopped celery, to taste
• 3 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1 cup frozen green peas
• paprika, salt, pepper to taste 

• 2 (6 ounce) cans tuna, drained
• 3 (10.75 ounce) cans condensed cream of mushroom soup
• 1/2 8oz block of cream cheese
• butter, melted
• panko bread crumbs, to taste

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook pasta in boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes, or until al dente; drain.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
3. Saute onions and celery until soft.  Add cream cheese and melt.
4. In a large bowl, thoroughly mix noodles, 1-2 cup cheese, peas, tuna, soup and veggie cheese mixture. Season with salt, pepper, and paprika to taste.  Transfer to a 9x13 inch baking dish, and top with cheese.  Add panko and then pour melted butter over the top.
5. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until cheese is bubbly.

Recipe #309: Sausage, Peppers, and Pasta

I was craving this for several days before I found a recipe and tried it myself.  I'd only had it in restaurants previously, but now this is going to be a staple in my own kitchen.  So easy, but restaurant quality.  This one is from simplyrecipes.com.

INGREDIENTS

• 4 Italian sausage links (sweet, hot, or a couple of each)
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 green bell pepper, sliced into 2 to 3 inch long strips
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced into 2 to 3 inch long strips
• 1 bell pepper of another color (yellow or orange or purple), sliced into strips 2-3 inches long
• 4 garlic cloves, sliced into slivers
• 1 large sweet or yellow onion, sliced into 1/4-inch half-moons
• 1 small (15 ounce) can of crushed tomatoes
• 1 Tbsp of dried oregano
• 1/2 cup Marsala or red wine (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
• Salt to taste.

DIRECTIONS

Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large pan that has a lid. When the oil is hot, add the sausages and brown them slowly. If they sizzle and crackle too much, turn the heat down. You want a gentle browning, not a sear. Cook for several minutes, turning them occasionally so they brown on all sides. When the sausages are browned, remove from the pan and set aside.

Increase the heat to high and add the onions and peppers. Toss so they get coated with the oil in the pan and sear them as well as you can, stirring every so often. You want some blackening. Once the onions and peppers soften, sprinkle some salt on them. Once you get some searing on the onions and peppers, add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.

Add the Marsala or red wine if you are using, and with a wooden spoon scrape the bottom of the pan to release all the browned and blackened bits. Let the wine cook down by half.

Add the tomatoes, oregano and red pepper flakes (if using) and stir well to combine. Add the sausages back in. Bring to a simmer then reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer until the peppers are soft the sausages are cooked through, about 20 minutes.

Serve over polenta, or with penne pasta, or load up in a hoagie roll. 

Recipe #304: Tex Mex Taco Pasta

Super easy!  Makes great leftovers.  I think it could be tweaked easily too if you would want more spiciness.  I skipped the cilantro because I'm not a big fan of it.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 lb ground beef (you could also use ground turkey or chicken)
• 1 packet taco seasoning, low sodium
• 1 (15oz) can Rotel, drained of excess liquid
• 1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (15 oz) can sweet corn, drained
• ½ lb farfalle (bow tie) pasta
• ¼ cup heavy cream
• 2 cups shredded Mexican cheese
• 2 tbsp cilantro, finely chopped

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a large pot, bring water a boil and prepare pasta as directed.
2. In a high-rimmed skillet, brown ground beef on medium-high heat and drain off excess grease. Season with taco seasoning and simmer for 5 minutes. To the meat mixture, stir in Rotel, black beans, and corn. Turn the heat off and cover with a lid.
3. Drain pasta and return to pot. Add in the meat mixture and stir. Pour in the cream and toss in the cheese and stir with a wooden spoon until the cheese has completely melted.
4. Ladle pasta into bowls and topped with chopped cilantro.

Recipe #298: Midsummer's Night Pasta

I absolutely love this.  So fresh.  I had to restrain myself from going back for....fourths.  It should be served room temperature, and is great to bring to parties, like I did.

INGREDIENTS:

4 cups very ripe tomatoes, seeded and chopped
Kosher salt
4 cups rinsed and roughly chopped arugula
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
2 medium-size garlic cloves, crushed in a garlic press or minced
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 cup olive oil
1 pound penne
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese and more for serving

DIRECTIONS:

Place the chopped tomatoes in a colander in the sink and toss them with 1 tablespoon of salt.  Let the tomatoes drain until the liquid draws out of them, about an hour.

Place the arugula, oregano, basil, thyme, garlic, pepper, and oil in a large bowl and mix well.

Cook the pasta according to directions.  Drain well.

After the hour of draining, add the tomatoes to the arugula mixture and mix well.  Add the pasta and mix well.  Add the Parmesan cheese and mix.  Let cool to room temperature before serving.  If this is made ahead and refrigerated, let it come up to room temperature before serving.

Recipe #295: Skillet Meatballs with Creamy Herb Sauce

So, I had a pound of ground beef I thought I'd need but didn't, and I also had a pack of garlic herb boursin cheese that I bought with no specific recipe in mind.  After a quick Google search, I found this recipe.  DELISH!  It's a bit like Swedish meatballs, but with a lot more flavor.  Easy, hearty, and worth making again....  Don't let the sort of boring pic fool you- it is quite the opposite of bland and boring.

Ingredients:

• 1 Pound - Ground Beef

• 1 (5.2 Ounces) - Package Boursin Cheese with Garlic and Herbs, Crumbled

• To Taste - Salt

• To Taste - Black Pepper

• 1 - Small Yellow Onion, Finely Chopped

• 2 Tablespoons - All Purpose Flour

• 3 1/2 Cups - Low Sodium Chicken Broth

• 8 Ounces - Egg Noodles

• 1/4 Cup - White Wine

• 1/4 Cup - Fresh Chives, Finely Chopped

Instructions:

1. Combine beef, 5 tablespoons Boursin cheese, ¾ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper in medium bowl and knead gently until combined. Form mixture into 1-inch meatballs. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Cook meatballs until well browned all over, about 5 minutes. Transfer meatballs to plate and pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from pan.

1. Cook onion in reserved fat until browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in flour and cook until golden, about 1 minute. Add broth, noodles, and wine and bring to boil. Cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring often, until pasta begins to soften, about 5 minutes. Add meatballs and simmer, covered, until meatballs are cooked through and noodles are al dente, about 4 minutes. Off heat, stir in remaining Boursin cheese and chives. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Farfalle with Creamy Mushroom Sauce

I've been super busy, but last night I finally made something new and blog-worthy!  I had a rare craving for pasta, and this was the result.  This is from Cooking Light magazine.  I had to adapt a little because the mix of wild mushrooms wasn't available, as noted.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 pound uncooked farfalle (bow tie pasta)  (I used a 12oz package)
• 1 tablespoon butter 
• 12 ounces presliced exotic mushroom blend (I used a mix of oyster, shiitake, and crimini)
• 1/2 cup chopped onion 
• 1/3 cup finely chopped shallots
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup dry white wine 
• 2/3 cup whipping cream
• 1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• Minced fresh parsley (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain.
2. Melt the butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms, onion, shallots, garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper; cook 12 minutes or until liquid evaporates and mushrooms are tender, stirring occasionally. Add wine; cook 2 minutes or until liquid evaporates, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.
3. Add the cooked pasta, whipping cream, cheese, and 2 tablespoons parsley, tossing gently to coat. Stir in remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Garnish with minced fresh parsley, if desired. Serve immediately.

Recipe #293: Singapore Noodles

Well, of the month of June, I was home one week out of them all between vacation (Florida!) and work (Illinois and Kansas!) and even if I had time to cook, was too tired to try anything new or fancy.  This is my first post in almost a month.  Hopefully it inspires some more.

This one is from the latest issue of Cooks Illustrated (and copied from their site) and I'm happy with the results.  Spicy, plenty of curry, and the fresh shrimp is delicious.  Light enough for summer but still hearty.

INGREDIENTS

• 4tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 2tablespoons curry powder
• 1/8teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
• 6ounces rice vermicelli
• 2tablespoons soy sauce
• 1teaspoon sugar
• 12ounces large shrimp (26 to 30 per pound), peeled, deveined, tails removed, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 4large eggs, lightly beaten
• Salt
• 3garlic cloves, minced to paste
• 1teaspoon grated fresh ginger
• 1red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into 2-inch-long matchsticks
• 2large shallots, sliced thin
• 2/3cup chicken broth
• 4ounces (2 cups) bean sprouts
• 4scallions, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 2teaspoons lime juice, plus lime wedges for serving

INSTRUCTIONS

1. 1. Heat 3 tablespoons oil, curry powder, and cayenne, if using, in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, about 4 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and set aside.

   2. Bring 1 1/2 quarts water to boil. Place noodles in large bowl. Pour boiling water over noodles and stir briefly. Soak noodles until flexible, but not soft, about 2 1/2 minutes, stirring once halfway through soaking. Drain noodles briefly. Transfer noodles to cutting board. Using chef’s knife, cut pile of noodles roughly into thirds. Return noodles to bowl, add curry mixture, soy sauce, and sugar; using tongs, toss until well combined. Set aside.

   3. Wipe out skillet with paper towels. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add shrimp in even layer and cook without moving them until bottoms are browned, about 90 seconds. Stir and continue to cook until just cooked through, about 90 seconds longer. Push shrimp to 1 side of skillet. Add 1 teaspoon oil to cleared side of skillet. Add eggs to clearing and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Using rubber spatula, stir eggs gently until set but still wet, about 1 minute. Stir eggs into shrimp and continue to cook, breaking up large pieces of egg, until eggs are fully cooked, about 30 seconds longer. Transfer shrimp-egg mixture to second large bowl.

   4. Reduce heat to medium. Heat remaining 1 teaspoon oil in now-empty skillet until shimmering. Add garlic and ginger and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Add bell pepper and shallots. Cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables are crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Transfer to bowl with shrimp.

   5. Return skillet to medium-high heat, add broth to skillet, and bring to simmer. Add noodles and cook, stirring frequently, until liquid is absorbed, about 2 minutes. Add noodles to bowl with shrimp and vegetable mixture and toss to combine. Add bean sprouts, scallions, and lime juice and toss to combine. Transfer to warmed platter and serve immediately, passing lime wedges separately.

Recipe #292: Pasta with Ricotta and Spinach

Here's a fantastic recipe from Cook's Illustrated magazine.  It somehow manages to be both creamy and cheesy AND light and fresh tasting.  Amazing.  The recipe calls for fusilli pasta, but I used rotini.  Perfection!  It's like unstuffed shells.

INGREDIENTS:

11 oz whole-milk ricotta cheese (I used a whole 16oz container)
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 pound pasta
1 pound baby spinach, chopped coarse
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 c heavy cream
1 tsp grated lemon zest plus 2 tsp juice (I used more)
1 oz Parmesan cheese, grated, plus extra for serving (I used more)

DIRECTIONS:

Whisk 1 cup ricotta, 1 tablespoon oil, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl until smooth; set aside.

Bring 4 quarts water to boil in a large pot.  Add pasta and 1 tablespoon salt and cook, stirring often, until al dente.  Reserve 1 cup cooking water.  Stir spinach into pot with pasta and cook until wilted, about 30 seconds.  Drain pasta and spinach and return them to the pot.

While pasta cooks, heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil, garlic, nutmeg, and cayenne in a saucepan over medium heat until fragrant, about 1 minute.  Remove pan from heat and whisk in remaining ricotta, cream, lemon zest and juice, and 3/4 teaspoon of salt until smooth.

Add ricotta-cream mixture and Parmesan to pasta and toss to combine.  Let pasta rest, tossing frequently, until sauce has thickened slightly and coats pasta, 2-4 minutes, adjusting consistency with reserved cooking water as needed.  Transfer pasta to serving platter, dot evenly with reserved ricotta mixture, and serve with extra Parmesan.

Recipe #270: Avgolemono Soup (Greek Lemon Orzo Soup)

Happy 4th birthday to my blog!  Here's the first of three new recipes for the day to celebrate!

I found this one in a cookbook my grandma gave me- The Oprah Magazine Cookbook.  I was really surprised at how filling this soup was.  I loved the lemon flavor and the little extra the orzo adds to it.  It would make 2 large bowls or 4 small bowls of soup.  I served it with little olive bread loaves I found at Heinen's.

INGREDIENTS:

1 quart chicken broth (I used unsalted)
1/2 cup orzo
2 large eggs
Juice from one large lemon
1tsp lemon zest
Sea salt and white pepper
Chopped dill, to taste

DIRECTIONS:

In a large saucepan, bring chicken broth to a boil.  Add orzo; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes, or until orzo is al dente.

In a bowl, beat eggs until thick.  Whisk in lemon juice and zest.  Gradually add 1/2 cup hot broth from the sauce pan, whisking constantly.  Do this twice more.

Pour mixture back into the saucepan and reheat, stirring constantly, until egg cooks and soup thickens slightly.  Do not boil, or eggs will curdle.  Add salt and pepper to taste, then sprinkle with dill.  Serve hot or cold.

Recipe #256: Italian Wedding Soup

I spent a long time looking for just the right recipe for this, but I couldn't find just one that I was happy with between the ingredients, ratings, comments, and so on.... so I came closest to one I liked on food.com and then edited it a bunch!  This turned out better than any of the ones I've tried in a restaurant, I think.  It was fun to make and there were plenty of leftovers that I'm going to enjoy and share with friends.

Ingredients:

Meatballs

1 small onion, chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley or flat leaf parsley
1 egg
2 teaspoons garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1/4 cup unseasoned breadcrumbs
8 ounces lean ground beef
8 ounces ground pork

Soup

10 cups chicken broth
1 lb escarole or endive, coarsely chopped
2 eggs
2/3 cup parmesan cheese, grated
salt and pepper
1/2 c orzo, cooked

Directions:

In a large bowl stir together first 6 ingredients. Stir in cheese and bread crumbs. Mix in meats with your hands. Roll into 1 inch meatballs (about 75).  Place on a greased or lined baking sheet.  Bake in the oven for 12 minutes at 350 degrees.  This will help prevent the soup from being greasy.   (Technique note:  I was lucky enough to come across a little trick to making these little meatballs much easier to form.  Working in batches, roll the meat out into a tube shape about 1" thick, then cut apart into 1" pieces.  It's then easy to quickly form them into a ball shape while placing them on the sheet.)

Bring broth to a boil in a large pot over medium high heat.  Add meatballs and escarole and simmer about 10 minutes.  Add the cooked orzo.  Whisk eggs and cheese in a bowl; then add to soup slowly stirring with a fork to form thin strands of egg about 1 minute.  (Mine ended up more like "crumbs")  Season with salt and pepper.

Recipe #255: Stuffed Shells

I heavily modified a recipe I found on allrecipes.com (where else?!?) based on recommendations from others, and it turned out great- fresh ingredients make a big difference.  Maybe some day I'll make my own ricotta cheese.  The original recipe called for cottage cheese, but that just didn't seem authentic.  I didn't quite use all the shells I cooked, and the fresh ingredients are rough estimates to replace the dry ones from the original recipe.  I also added the spinach and black pepper.  This made a lot of food, and even after some second helpings, the dish was still about 2/3 full!  I edited the recipe to reflect how I customized it.

INGREDIENTS:

1 (16 ounce) package jumbo pasta shells 4 cups ricotta cheese 12 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese 2 eggs, lightly beaten Black pepper, to taste

1 tablespoon garlic powder 1-2 tablespoons minced fresh basil 1-2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley 1 (26 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese 2-3 tablespoons chopped fresh spinach

DIRECTIONS:

1.	Cook shells according to package directions. Place in cold water to stop cooking. Drain.
2.	Mix together ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, eggs, and garlic powder. Add basil, parsley, and spinach, and stir into the cheese mixture. Stuff mixture into the shells by piping with a plastic sandwich (or bigger) bag with the corner cut off.
3.	Spread 1/3 of spaghetti sauce in the bottom of a 9x12 inch pan. Place shells open side up, and close together in pan. Layer some of the extra shells on top where there's more space.  Spread remaining sauce over top, and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.
4.	Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 25 to 35 minutes, or until bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Recipe #252: Chicken Parmesan

I'm not sure what took me so long to make this meal, but here it is.  It turned out very fresh tasting and juicy.  It's a great recipe from allrecipes.com (of course...) if you like the traditional flavors of chicken parmesan.  I halved the recipe and pounded the chicken breasts thinner and used olive oil instead of vegetable oil.  I used pasta sauce made in Cleveland's Little Italy, and served it with a side of capellini.

INGREDIENTS:

2 eggs, beaten 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese 7 ounces seasoned bread crumbs 6 skinless, boneless chicken breast

halves 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 12 ounces pasta sauce 6 slices Monterey Jack cheese

DIRECTIONS:

1.	Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2.	Pour beaten eggs into a shallow dish or bowl. In another shallow dish or bowl, mix together the grated Parmesan cheese and bread crumbs. Dip chicken breasts into beaten egg, then into bread crumb mixture to coat.
3.	In a large skillet, heat oil over medium high heat. Add coated chicken and saute for about 8 to 10 minutes each side, or until chicken is cooked through and juices run clear.
4.	Pour tomato sauce into a lightly greased 9x13 inch baking dish. Add chicken, then place a slice of Monterey Jack cheese over each breast, and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes or until cheese is completely melted.

Recipe #238: Caramelized Onion and Brie Risotto

This recipe was exactly what I was looking for to use up a bunch of random things I had left in the pantry and fridge.  Risotto is fun to make, and this turned out hearty and flavorful.  Next time I think I will use more cheese, but this one is great as-is.  It takes on the color of the onions.

INGREDIENTS:

4 tsp olive oil

2 small onions, sliced

1 cup arborio rice

1/2 cup white wine (I had a Riesling)

3 3/4 cup low sodium chicken broth

1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

1/4 lb cubed brie

1/2 tsp pepper

DIRECTIONS:

Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat.  Add onions and saute, stirring often, until a deep caramel color, about 15 minutes.  Add the rice, stirring to coat in oil until toasted, about 2 minutes.

Add wine and stir until almost fully absorbed.  Then add chicken broth one cup at a time.  Stir often to prevent burning and sticking until broth is almost fully absorbed before adding another cup.

Cook until rice is creamy and stir in cheese and pepper.  Heat through.

Recipe #236: Beef Daube Provençal

Two new recipes in one day!  I happened to look at my new issue of Cooking Light magazine, and as soon as I saw the picture for this, I knew I had to make it for dinner.  I think it would easily adapt to a crock pot (they say high for five hours, but I bet low for 8 works fine) or a pressure cooker.  The cloves make a huge difference, so don't skip them!  Delicious, tender meat... and the noodles are perfect for it.  It's pretty similar to this recipe as far as looks, but the cloves make a difference.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 teaspoons olive oil 
• 12 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 (2-pound) boneless chuck roast, trimmed and cut into 2-inch cubes
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided 
• 1 cup red wine 
• 2 cups chopped carrot
• 1 1/2 cups chopped onion 
• 1/2 cup less-sodium beef broth
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
• Dash of ground cloves
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 cups hot cooked medium egg noodles (about 4 cups uncooked noodles)
• Chopped fresh thyme (optional)

1. DIRECTIONS:
2. 
   
3. Preheat oven to 300°.

1. Heat olive oil in a small Dutch oven over low heat. Add garlic to pan; cook for 5 minutes or until garlic is fragrant, stirring occasionally. Remove garlic with a slotted spoon; set aside. Increase heat to medium-high. Add beef to pan. Sprinkle beef with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Cook 5 minutes, browning on all sides. Remove beef from pan. Add wine to pan, and bring to a boil, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Add garlic, beef, remaining 1 teaspoon salt, remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper, carrot, and next 8 ingredients (through bay leaf) to pan; bring to a boil.

1. Cover and bake at 300° for 2 1/2 hours or until beef is tender. Discard bay leaf. Serve over noodles. Garnish with chopped fresh thyme, if desired.  Serve over egg noodles.

Recipe #223: Lobster Mac and Cheese

The other day, Nick went to lunch with some of his coworkers to a restaurant he'd been to before.  He was looking forward to having their lobster mac and cheese but found out they'd since taken it off their menu.  That inspired me to look for a recipe and attempt to make it myself.  If you want to splurge on something expensive, unhealthy and definitely delicious, this is the recipe to try.  I found this on Food Network's website and it had great reviews, for good reason.  My minor changes are in red.  This makes about 6 servings.

Ingredients

4 tablespoons butter, plus 1 tablespoon for greasing dish (I used olive oil spray to grease the dish)
Kosher salt
1 pound penne pasta
2 small shallots, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons tomato paste
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup white wine (I used about double because the flour mixture soaked it up immediately)
4 cups heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 bay leaf
2 cups shredded sharp white Cheddar
2 cups shredded Gruyere
2 (8-ounce) raw lobster tails, defrosted if frozen, meat removed from shell, chopped
1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup freshly chopped parsley leaves (I used dried)


Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and adjust racks to the middle. Grease a 13 by 9-inch baking dish with butter.

In a large pot of boiling salted water over medium heat, add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain the pasta and reserve.

Add 4 tablespoons butter to a large pot over medium heat. Once the butter shimmers, add the shallots and garlic and saute until translucent. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Add the tomato paste and flour and stir to toast, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the white wine and reduce, by half, about 2 minutes. Slowly add the cream, whisking well to remove any lumps. Add the paprika, cayenne, and bay leaf. Bring the cream up to a simmer and turn the heat to low. Let reduce until the cream is thick and can coat a spoon, about 5 to 10 minutes. When thickened, remove the bay leaves.

Stir in the grated cheeses, a handful at a time, combining well after each addition. Add the chopped lobster meat to the sauce and stir well. Add the pasta and stir. Add to the greased baking dish and sprinkle with the panko crumbs and parsley. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes before serving. Sprinkle individual servings with parsley.