A [low pro] Lobster Bake

I love lobsters.

Not to eat, that is. I would most likely despise seafood as I have never developed the taste. Our house has lobsters everywhere, our wedding was a lobster bake and I'm from Maine so that is just how we roll (pun intended). Therefore, I feel compelled to serve lobster when guests travel to see us.

I'm sorry, I just can't resist putting a few pictures from our wedding that demonstrates my true love for lobsters.

Below is a picture of the menu for a traditional Maine lobster bake.

My in laws were here this summer and we had a lobster bake at the house. I hope to serve lobster again when my Aunties' visit from Seattle in October. Below is a picture of us from their last visit.

For our lobster bakes I try to make more veggies than the traditional menu calls for. We served lobsters, low pro and regular mac and cheese, and fresh, organic, local green beans and fruit salad. My low protein plate was colorful and appetizing. If it was not for the PKU and needing to adapt the menu for a low protein option I would probably not serve mac and cheese. Mac and cheese does pair nicely with lobster so it worked out well and it was a treat for me.

Prepping the lobsters is a breeze... call your local lobster pound and order more than enough for everyone. I ordered ten soft-shell, lobsters for four carnivores. The key is to get them already cooked. It can feel a little daunting to cook all of the lobsters even though it is pretty simple. However, with the large pots the lobster pounds have they are able to steam the lobsters without instilling too much water into the actual lobster. It not nearly as messy if the lobsters are not water logged. Once you pick it up, store it in a cooler and they will stay piping hot for hours.

I was able to prep most of the food in the morning; chopped the fruit for the salad, cut the ends off the green beans; sliced the lemon. I use lemon with butter for the lobsters and in the ice water pitcher I like to have readily available on the table.

At this time, I also prepared the white sauce for the macaroni and cheese. I used Aproten Rigatoni for my noodles. I adapted my aunt's recipe for mac and cheese as I could not find any low protein recipes I liked. This was a combination of Cambrooke mozzarella shreds and Follow Your Heart smoked gouda. You have to blend the cheese sauce before mixing into the pasta because we all know that even though it says the cheese melts, it still does not. An immersion blender works well to liquify the cheese sauce. I used more cayenne than recommended and it was smoky, spicy, and YUMMY! Can you tell which is low protein?

We are lucky to live on a little river off Little Bay in Dover, New Hampshire. This makes cleanup easy and we just toss the lobster shells in the water as the tide goes out.

There were three lobsters leftover and my father in law was nice enough to pick them for me.

With the meat from three lobsters I was able to prepare five lobster rolls for lunch the following day.

Unfortunately, there was no low protein modification for the lobster rolls but I was able to enjoy another bowl of my mac and cheese. This recipe makes plenty of leftovers. I found it good to freeze half for a prepped, low protein meal two weeks later and eat the other half that week!

Low pro macaroni and cheese:

1/3 stick of butter

2 T. Cambrooke Shake 'N' Cheese

1 1/2 cup unflavored, unsweetened coconut milk

1 1/2 cups total of any combination of your favorite low pro cheese

1/2 t. ground mustard

1/8 t. cayenne pepper (I used more than that for added flavor)

1 bag of rigatini or elbows

Preheat the oven to 350 (I always use convect but it is not necessary). In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter, and then stir in the powdered Shake N Cheese. When all the powder is absorbed, gradually add the coconut milk, stirring constantly until the sauce is thickened. However, note that this will not form as thick of a roux as the traditional recipe listed below. Add the cheese and stir until blended. As we all know this may not melt so at this point you can insert the immersion blender and it will form a nice, thick yummy cheese sauce. Stir in the salt, cayenne, and mustard.

Put pasta in greased 9 x 12 casserole dish and pour cheese sauce over. Mix together. Bake until top is slightly browned and pasta and cheese bubbling, about 30 minutes.

Optional: Sprinkle 1/2 cup low protein bread crumbs mixed with three tablespoons melted butter over the top.

Traditional mac and cheese recipe pictured below. The recipe is from our family cookbook and it is my Aunt Joan's specialty. As you can tell, that cookbook is well loved!