PASTA:

• 16 ounces elbow macaroni

ONIONS:

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 small yellow onion, diced

SAUCE:

• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 medium shallot, chopped
• 1 medium garlic clove, minced
• 10 whole peppercorns
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 5 tablespoons all purpose flour
• 2 cups (16 ounces) Gruyere cheese, shredded
• 3 cups (24 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 cup (8 ounces) grated Romano cheese
• kosher salt and pepper, to taste
• 6 to 8 ounces lobster meat, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 3 tablespoons panko bread crumbs

• Preheat the oven to 350°F.

COOK THE PASTA:

• Fill a pot with salted water, and bring to a boil. Cook the macaroni for about 8 minutes, until al dente (cooked, but still a bit firm).

COOK THE ONIONS:

• In a saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons of butter, Add the onion, and cook until the onion is cooked through- about 5 minutes. Scrape the onions in a bowl; set aside.

MAKE THE SAUCE:

• Add the milk, shallot, garlic and peppercorns to the saucepan. Simmer over low heat for 20 minutes.
• In a separate medium-large pan, melt 5 tablespoons of butter over low heat. Whisk in the flour, and stir until the flour has browned- about 5 minutes. Strain the milk through a sieve, and gradually whisk the milk into the flour mixture in the pan. Simmer over medium heat until the mixture is thick and smooth- about 10 minutes.
• Stir the cheeses into the milk mixture until the cheeses have melted. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in cooked pasta, onions and the lobster meat. Scrape the mixture into a 4-quart casserole. Sprinkle with panko crumbs.
• Bake for 8 to 12 minutes, until the sauce is bubbly and the bread crumbs have browned.