Serving Lobster Mac & Cheese, need to cut the richness with a side?

August 3, 2015 12:24 PM

The lobster mac & cheese is very rich. What else can we serve to cut down the richness and balance out the meal?
posted by covercash to Food & Drink (19 answers total)

I would serve it with a green salad dressed with vinaigrette, and a light sparkling wine.
posted by something something at 12:28 PM on August 3, 2015 [13 favorites]

(That salad would be awesome with sunflower seeds...pair well with the mac and cheese.)
posted by sexyrobot at 12:33 PM on August 3, 2015 [3 favorites]

Anything savory and green that you can cook without too much oil. I'd do asparagus, sauted for just a few minutes in a non-stick pan with cooking spray (instead of EVO).
posted by jbickers at 12:33 PM on August 3, 2015 [1 favorite]

Something with Arugula.
posted by jbenben at 12:35 PM on August 3, 2015 [8 favorites]

Arugula and/or spinach salad with a nice vinaigrette dressing.
posted by wwax at 12:38 PM on August 3, 2015

Arugula, Fennel, and Orange salad.
posted by erst at 12:39 PM on August 3, 2015 [8 favorites]

Definitely a salad on the bitter side (maybe even your own version one of those superfoods mixes with kale, brussels sprouts, and cabbage - so you have some texture instead of soft salad next to soft pasta) with a citrus-mustard vinaigrette. Maybe some orange or mango bits.
posted by Lyn Never at 12:41 PM on August 3, 2015 [3 favorites]

Best answer: Serve it with tea, sourdough boule, spinach salad with grapefruit pieces, pecans, red onion, and grapefruit, fresh dill, olive oil, and Himalayan Salt, vinaigrette dressing. Have a dessert of grape meringue pie.
posted by Oyéah at 12:41 PM on August 3, 2015 [6 favorites]

Korean cucumber salad - delicious and very easy to make!
posted by mdrew at 12:45 PM on August 3, 2015 [1 favorite]

Nthing "bitter", and "acidic" would also work (that's why you're seeing vinaigrette dressings on all the salads).
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 1:20 PM on August 3, 2015 [1 favorite]

That salad would be awesome with sunflower seeds...

And a chopped up green apple or some blueberries.
posted by A Terrible Llama at 1:36 PM on August 3, 2015 [1 favorite]

Raw fruits and vegetables. Your dish probably doesn't have a lot of textural variation, so something crunchy and crisp and alive would provide a nice contrast. I would probably end up putting together some sliced cucumber, tomato, and bell peppers, dressed with extra virgin olive oil and some vinegar, salt and pepper, and maybe sprinkled with some fresh herbs. You could leave off the olive oil if you think the meal is rich enough already.
posted by sam_harms at 2:37 PM on August 3, 2015 [1 favorite]

A light brothy soup might also be nice. I bet some tomato soup would go well, if it's not very thick.
posted by sam_harms at 2:38 PM on August 3, 2015

I was going to go in a similar direction and suggest a vinaigrette slaw, but now that I'm thinking about it a succotash might be nice too.
posted by Tevin at 3:22 PM on August 3, 2015

Best answer: The simplest possible side would be diagonally sliced zucchini rounds, steamed for two minutes. They have a sweet, refreshing flavor & texture 180° from your main dish.
posted by Jesse the K at 5:24 PM on August 3, 2015

Best answer: Steamed broccoli dressed with lemon juice.

Asian slaw dressed with lime and cilantro.

I hate radishes. But for some reason I think they'd work as a raw and tangy side here. Or sliced raw kohlrabi or jicama.

Cucumber dill red onion salad in a white wine vinaigrette.

Water chestnuts.

On a bed of spiralized veggies, lightly steamed.

With unbuttered toast.

With a light lemon sorbet for dessert. And watermelon. With mint.

But really OYéah's idea above sounds most delicious.
posted by slateyness at 8:00 PM on August 3, 2015

A chopped salad with raw sorrel if you can get your hands on it from the farmers market
posted by slateyness at 8:02 PM on August 3, 2015

A salad of baby watercress with julienned apple and a champagne vinaigrette.

Something white and sparkling to drink with, or a Riesling. Maybe a Gewurtztraminer.
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 10:07 AM on August 4, 2015

Steamed brussel sprouts with a red wine and garlic vinaigrette, or an orange, fennel and radicchio salad.
posted by travellingincognito at 4:03 AM on August 9, 2015