COCOA BEACH, Fla. -- We're heading out onto the Westgate Cocoa Beach Pier for -- yep, you guessed it: seafood.

  • Westgate's Cocoa Beach Pier features several restaurants
  • Executive chef demos Lobster Mac 'n' Cheese, Nori Tuna Steak

"What we have here is ahi tuna, and this just came in fresh today," said Chef Stephen Stewart, executive chef of Pelican's Bar & Grill and all of the pier's dining establishments. "It's one of our main dishes that we serve. Normally, on any given night, we'll do it with fresh vegetables, but what we're going to do today is green beans."

The steaks are oiled up, seasoned, seared and then plated on top of Thai chili sauce drizzlins.

"It's very sweet, but it has got a little kick to it," he smiled.

As for the lobster mac and cheese, Stewart utilizes a very special ingredient in the cheese sauce: brandy.

"We just make an ordinary bechamel -- a white sauce," the chef said. "We take the stock from (our fresh lobster soup) and we make our own with flour and butter. We blend (the brandy) with the stock, make a reduction, add our cheese, and it gives it that little kick."

Ready to nom nom? Let's cook:

LOBSTER MAC & CHEESE

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients -- Crumb Topping:

  • 5 oz. Bread crumbs

  • ½ cup Olive oil

  • 2 oz. Anchovies

  • Salt and black pepper (to taste)

  • 2 oz. Parsley

  • 1 lemon, zested

Directions -- Crumb Topping:

  • Preheat the oven to 350F.
  • Spread breadcrumbs on a sheet pan and toast until barely golden (roughly 10 minutes), stirring once or twice.

  • Heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat.

  • Add the anchovies and stir 1-2 minutes, to warm through.

  • Add the breadcrumbs, season with salt and pepper, and cook, tossing, until warm and slightly crisp.

  • Remove from the heat and stir in the parsley and lemon zest.

  • Sprinkle generously over the pasta.

Ingredients -- Lobster Stock:

  • 1.5 cups Olive Oil

  • 4 Shallots

  • 1 cup Brandy

  • Two 2-pound lobsters

  • 2 gallons water

Directions -- Lobster Stock:

  • Heat the oil in a large stockpot over medium heat.

  • Add the shallots and cook until soft.

  • Add water and Brandy, bring to a boil.

  • Add the lobster, cover until cooked (6-7 minutes).

  • Remove the lobster and set aside for cheese sauce.

  • Strain the broth into a saucepan.

Ingredients -- Lobster Cheese Sauce:

  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter

  • 6 tablespoons flour

  • 3 cups lobster stock (recipe above)

  • 2 cups whole milk, heated

  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream, heated

  • 1.5 pounds Fontina, coarsely grated

  • 1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

  • 1.5 oz.Gruyere

  • 1.5 oz. grated cheddar cheese

  • Salt and pepper (to taste)

  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

  • 1 pound (uncooked) large pasta shells, cooked in salted water to al dente

  • Chopped meat from 2 whole lobsters

Directions – Cheese Sauce

  • Preparation: Remove the meat from the lobster. Chop into bite-sized pieces.

  • Melt butter in large saucepan over medium-high heat.

  • Whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute.

  • Add hot lobster stock, milk, and cream and whisk until the sauce begins to thicken.

  • Cook for 5 minutes, whisking occasionally.

  • Remove from heat.

  • Whisk in the cheeses and season with salt and pepper.

  • Add the parsley and cooked pasta.

  • Stir until combined.

  • Fold chopped lobster into the pasta.

  • Divide into bowls. Top with crumb topping. Garnish with lobster tail.

NORI TUNA STEAK

  • Makes 1 tuna steak

Ingredients:

  • 6 oz. fresh Ahi tuna

  • 1 oz. garlic

  • 1 oz. olive oil

  • 0.5 oz. black pepper

  • 0.5 oz. salt

  • Sauce of choice

  • Chopped seaweed (for garnish)

Directions:

  • Coat tuna with oil and season with salt and pepper.

  • Heat a large pan and sauté over high heat. Sear tuna for 3 minutes on each side.

  • Remove fish from pan and let rest for several minutes before slicing. Tuna will be medium-rare.

  • Drizzle with sauce of choice and garnish with seaweed.