Lobster Casserole

Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Use 1 tbsp of the unsalted butter to generously grease the interior bottom and sides of the 9x13 inch clear tempered glass baking dish to prevent sticking. Set the prepared dish in its central spot on the counter, near where you will mix the lobster filling.

Melt 3 tbsp of the unsalted butter in the 1.5 quart polished stainless steel saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk in the all-purpose flour to form a smooth, pale golden roux, cooking for 2 minutes until it smells faintly nutty with no raw flour aroma. Slowly stream in the whole milk and heavy cream while whisking constantly to avoid lumps, then stir in the dry sherry. Simmer for 3-4 minutes, stirring with the matte pale gray silicone spatula, until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of the spatula (a finger drawn through the sauce leaves a clean line that does not run). Stir in 1/4 tsp kosher salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper, and the freshly grated sharp white cheddar until fully melted and smooth, then remove the pan from heat.

Place the large chunks of cooked lobster meat into the medium brushed stainless steel mixing bowl. Pour the warm cheese sauce over the lobster, then gently fold with the silicone spatula to coat every chunk evenly. Take care not to break the lobster into tiny pieces – aim to keep 1-2 inch bite-sized chunks for the best texture. Stir in 1 tbsp of the chopped parsley.

Melt the remaining 2 tbsp of unsalted butter. Place the coarsely crushed buttery crackers in one of the small clear glass prep bowls, pour the melted butter over the crumbs, then add the remaining 3/4 tsp kosher salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper, and smoked paprika. Use the stainless steel pastry blender to toss the crumbs until evenly coated in butter, leaving some larger pea-sized crumb pieces intact for extra crunch.

Pour the entire lobster and sauce mixture into the greased 9x13 inch glass baking dish, spreading it into a smooth, even layer with the silicone spatula. Sprinkle the buttered cracker crumb topping evenly over the entire surface, covering all exposed sauce, but do not press the crumbs down firmly (pressing will make the topping soggy as it bakes).

Place the assembled casserole on the middle rack of the preheated 375°F (190°C) oven. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the sauce bubbles vigorously around the edges of the dish and the cracker topping is deep golden brown. If the topping browns too quickly before the sauce is bubbly, tent a loose piece of aluminum foil over the top for the last 10 minutes of baking. Remove from the oven and let rest 5 minutes to allow the sauce to set slightly.

Sprinkle the remaining 1 tbsp of chopped fresh parsley and a light pinch of extra paprika over the warm casserole for bright color. Use the large stainless steel serving spoon to scoop generous 1.5 cup portions onto the off-white matte ceramic dinner plates, pairing each serving with a lemon wedge in a small glass ramekin for squeezing over top. Serve immediately while the topping is crisp and the sauce is hot.