INGREDIENTS

8 tablespoons butter, divided
4 - 3 oz lobster tails, meat medium diced chunks
2 teaspoons garlic, minced
2 teaspoons thyme, chopped
6 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
3 cups half-and-half
16 oz Gruyere cheese, grated
12 oz Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated
6 green onions, sliced
1 cup cooked bacon, chopped
1 lb macaroni noodles, cooked according to package directions
Butter pan spray
1 cup butter cracker crumbs, tossed in ¼ cup melted butter, for topping

METHOD

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a 5-quart Dutch oven over medium heat; sauté lobster for 2 3 minutes; add garlic and thyme cook for 1 minute, remove lobster from Dutch oven and set aside.

Add remaining butter to pot and melt over medium heat; form a roux by stirring in flour and cook for 2 minutes.

Stir in half-and-half and bring to a simmer.

Reduce heat to low and add Gruyere and Parmesan cheeses, green onions, bacon and lobster.

Season to taste with salt and pepper; stir in cooked pasta and transfer to a 9 x 13 inch baking dish coated with pan spray; top with crackers and bake 10-15 minutes until lightly browned and heated through.

Remove from oven and allow to cool 5 minutes before serving.