Lobster Thermidor
Cooked lobster meat, cleaned lobster tail shells and shallot come together in this seafood β 75 minutes, 8 steps, and the kind of result worth repeating. Scroll down for the ingredient checklist, a serving scaler and unit converter, and the method broken into 8 steps.
You'll mainly reach for grill / broiler and saucepan. At medium difficulty across 8 steps, it's manageable with a little attention. As written, it's pescatarian β fish but no meat.
What you'll need
Shopping list (7)
Pantry staples (you likely have these)
How to make it
- Cut the cooked lobster meat into bite-sized pieces and pat dry. Preheat the broiler and arrange the cleaned tail shells on a baking sheet.
- Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat, add the finely chopped shallot, and soften for 2 to 3 minutes without colouring.
- Stir in the flour to make a roux and cook for 1 minute, then gradually whisk in the stock and cream and simmer gently until the sauce thickens, about 4 to 5 minutes.
- Whisk the egg yolks with the sherry or brandy and the mustard, then temper them by stirring in a ladle of the warm sauce, and return the mixture to the pan over low heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens slightly without scrambling.
- Stir in the tarragon, half of the gruyere, and season with salt and white pepper, then gently fold in the lobster meat just to warm it through.
- Spoon the lobster mixture into the reserved shells, mounding it generously, and scatter the remaining gruyere over the top.
- Broil for 3 to 5 minutes until the cheese is bubbling and golden brown and the filling is piping hot throughout.
- Serve immediately while hot, with lemon wedges and a simple green salad.
You'll use: Grill / broiler Β· Saucepan Β· Pan Β· Whisk Β· Baking sheet
Ingredient substitutions
- Butter
- olive oil (ΒΎ the amount) Β· coconut oil Β· margarine
- Heavy Cream
- evaporated milk Β· Β½ cup milk + ΒΌ cup melted butter Β· full-fat coconut milk
Tips & common questions
How long does Lobster Thermidor take to make?
About 75 minutes from start to finish β an estimate based on the 8 steps and 14 ingredients. Times vary with your kitchen and how much prep you do ahead.
What can I use instead of butter?
Try olive oil (ΒΎ the amount). See the substitutions section above for more swaps.
Can I scale this recipe up or down?
Yes β use the servings control above the ingredients and every quantity rescales automatically (fractions included). Cooking times stay roughly the same; very large batches may need a little longer.
How should I store leftovers?
Cool leftovers quickly, refrigerate in an airtight container, and eat within 3 days. Reheat until piping hot throughout.
Related recipes
Lobster Thermidor is an original recipe developed in-house by Consomee. Photo: Lobster Thermidor.jpg by thefoodplace.co.uk, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons. We add the serving scaler, ingredient tools, timing and structure on top β how we source recipes.