Lobster mac ’n’ cheese

Method

1. Bring a large pan of water to the boil and salt it generously. Add the macaroni and cook it according to the packet instructions until just shy of al dente (still with some firmness). Drain, toss with a tiny splash of olive oil and set aside.
2. Separate the lobster flesh from the shells or peel the prawns and reserve the shells. Heat the oil in a saucepan and add the lobster tails or prawns. Cook them quickly on each side, then remove and set aside. Put the shells in the same pan and heat over a high heat, shaking the pan until they have taken on some colour. With the heat on high, pour in the white wine and allow it to bubble fiercely. Pour in the milk and add the bay leaves, onion and mace. Heat slowly until the milk is just below boiling point, then remove the pan from the heat. Leave to infuse until it’s at room temperature, then strain the liquid into a jug and set aside.
3. Heat the oven to 180°C fan/ gas 6. To make the sauce, heat the butter in a large pan. Add the onion and bacon and fry until the onion is lightly caramelised and the bacon is crisp. Add the garlic and thyme, then stir in the flour, mustard and cayenne. Stir until you have a roux (it will be lumpy because of the onion and bacon), then gradually add the infused milk mixture, stirring in between each addition, until it’s all incorporated. Add 75g of each of the cheeses and stir over a low heat until the cheese has melted.
4. Mix the sauce with the macaroni and stir in the lobster meat or prawns. Pour into a large, shallow ovenproof dish. Mix the breadcrumbs with the remaining cheese and the basil. Sprinkle this over the macaroni. Bake in the oven for 30- 35 minutes until the mac ’n’ cheese is piping hot, browned and bubbling, then serve.