Lobster Thermidor Wwii Recipes

LOBSTER THERMIDOR

Steps:

• For the pickled mustard seeds: In a small pot over high heat, bring the white vinegar to a boil. Add the mustard seeds, then immediately remove from the heat and let rest for about 30 minutes. Strain seeds, reserving vinegar for another use. Set aside.
• For the lobster: Bring a very large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Place the lobsters head first into the water and cook at a rapid boil until bright red, 5 to 6 minutes. Remove the lobsters from the water and set them aside to cool.
• For the leek stuffing: Slice the leeks into 1-inch pieces and place in a large mixing bowl. Fill the bowl with cold water and, with your hands, agitate the water to dislodge any dirt and grit from the leeks. Let the grit settle to the bottom of the bowl, then use a spider or slotted spoon to gently lift the leeks out of the water and place in a colander set in the sink to drain.
• Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the butter, leeks, a pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper. Cook, stirring often, until the leeks are tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in the mustard and red wine vinegar. Remove from the heat and set aside.
• For the assembly: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Once the lobsters have cooled, cut them in half and take the tail and claw meat out. Cut the meat into bite-size pieces. Set aside.
• Clean out the entire inside of the lobster shells, discarding the innards and the claw shells. Divide the leeks among the empty lobster shells, then top with the lobster meat. Brush the lobster with the melted butter and finish with some pickled mustard seeds. Bake until heated through, approximately 10 minutes.

CHEF JOHN'S LOBSTER THERMIDOR

Steps:

• Cut bottom shell of lobster tails using kitchen shears along each side where it meets the top shell; do not remove the shell at this point.
• Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Place lobster tails cut side down in the butter. Cook, covered, about 3 minutes. Turn lobster tails over (they are curved so will lean to 1 side); cover and cook 1 minute. Lean them to the other side; cover and cook 1 minute more.
• Remove from heat. Transfer lobster tails to a bowl. Remove any shell pieces from the skillet.
• Place 1 tablespoon butter in the skillet over medium heat; add shallots and pinch of salt. Cook and stir until pan starts to deglaze and shallots soften, 3 to 4 minutes. Add mushrooms; cook stir until golden brown, 5 to 6 minutes. Add flour; stir until mushrooms are coated and cook for 2 minutes. Pour in cognac; use a kitchen torch to flame cognac to burn off alcohol. This will take just a few seconds. Add milk; cook and stir until pan is completely deglazed and milk begins to thicken and turn bubbly, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in creme fraiche. Let cool.
• Remove lobster meat from the shell, leaving top shell intact. Remove any bits of bottom shell from the meat.
• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Line a baking pan with crinkled up foil. Make 4 channel-like indentations in the foil to hold and stabilize the lobster tails as they bake.
• Slice lobster meat down the middle and check for and remove any dark veins. Chop into 1/2-inch pieces. Transfer meat to a mixing bowl. Add cooled sauce, tarragon, pinch of salt, and cayenne pepper. Stir gently until well blended.
• Divide mixture among the lobster tail shells; place in prepared foil-lined pan. Sprinkle each lobster tail with about 1/2 teaspoon bread crumbs and 1/2 teaspoon grated cheese. Drizzle melted butter on the stuffed shells.
• Bake in preheated oven until nicely browned and heated through, about 10 minutes. If you like, you can turn on the broiler and broil 1 minute until tops are golden and crispy.

LOBSTER THERMIDOR

Steps:

• Plunge lobsters headfirst into an 8-quart pot of boiling salted water*. Loosely cover pot and cook lobsters over moderately high heat 9 minutes from time they enter water, then transfer with tongs to sink to cool.
• When lobsters are cool enough to handle, twist off claws and crack them, then remove meat. Halve lobsters lengthwise with kitchen shears, beginning from tail end, then remove tail meat, reserving shells. Cut all lobster meat into 1/4-inch pieces. Discard any remaining lobster innards, then rinse and dry shells.
• Heat butter in a 2-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat until foam subsides, then cook mushrooms, stirring, until liquid that mushrooms give off is evaporated and they begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Add lobster meat, paprika, salt, and pepper and reduce heat to low. Cook, shaking pan gently, 1 minute. Add 1 tablespoon Sherry and 1/2 cup hot cream and simmer 5 minutes.
• Whisk together yolks and remaining tablespoon Sherry in a small bowl. Slowly pour remaining 1/2 cup hot cream into yolks, whisking constantly, and transfer to a small heavy saucepan. Cook custard over very low heat, whisking constantly, until it is slightly thickened and registers 160°F on an instant-read thermometer. Add custard to lobster mixture, stirring gently.
• Preheat broiler.
• Arrange lobster shells, cut sides up, in a shallow baking pan and spoon lobster with some of sauce into shells. Broil lobsters 6 inches from heat until golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Serve remaining sauce on the side.
• When salting water for cooking, use 1 tablespoon salt for every 4 quarts water.

LOBSTER THERMIDOR

Steps:

• Set the lobsters back-side up on a cutting board. Remove the claws, then cut each lobster in half beginning at the top of the head and cutting all the way to the tail. Remove the tail meat gently and clear and discard the innards from the head, taking care to keep the head and legs intact. Crack each claw and remove the meat. Cut the reserved lobster meat into 1/2-inch pieces.
• Heat the cream in a small saucepan over low heat until warm; keep warm.
• Position an oven rack 6 inches from the broiler and preheat the broiler.
• Heat the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat until the butter melts and any foam disappears. Add the lobster pieces, mustard powder, paprika, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper and reduce the heat to low. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add 1 tablespoon of the sherry and 1/4 cup of the warm cream and simmer until the cream is reduced by about half, about 5 minutes.
• Whisk together the egg yolks and remaining tablespoon of sherry in a small bowl. Slowly whisk in the remaining 1/2 cup warm cream to the bowl with the yolk mixture, then transfer the mixture to the same saucepan that held the cream. Cook over very low heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens slightly like loose pudding and coats the back of a spoon, 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 minutes. Stir in the tarragon, then add this mixture to the lobster mixture. Stir to combine.
• Arrange the lobster shells with their cut sides up on a baking sheet. Spoon the lobster mixture into the shells. Top with the Gruyere. Broil the lobsters until the filling is golden brown, about 5 minutes. Serve with any extra sauce on the side.

LOBSTER THERMIDOR

Steps:

• Cut the lobster in half lengthwise, and remove the meat from the claws and tail. Leave to one side. Remove any meat from the head and set aside. Cut the meat up into pieces and place back into the shell.
• Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the shallot; cook and stir until tender. Mix in the fish stock, white wine and double cream. Bring to a boil, and cook until reduced by half. Mix in the mustard, lemon juice, parsley, salt and pepper.
• Preheat your oven's broiler.
• Place the lobster halves on a broiling pan or baking sheet, and spoon the sauce over the lobster meat in the shell. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over the top.
• Broil for 3 to 4 minutes, just until golden brown. Serve immediately.

LOBSTER THERMIDOR

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients. Preheat the oven to 400 F.
• With a sharp chef's knife, split each live lobster in half lengthwise, starting with the head and working the knife back toward the tail. When you begin at the head end, the process kills the lobster instantly .
• Brush the lobster with the olive oil and bake for 15 minutes.
• Remove the lobster from the oven and let it cool.
• Gather the ingredients.
• In a small skillet or saucepan, make a roux by melting the butter over medium heat and adding the flour, 1 spoonful at a time, mixing vigorously.
• Continue cooking and whisking until the roux is blonde or caramel in color, about 3 to 4 minutes.
• Add the stock and whisk well to combine.
• Let the mixture come to a simmer, about 2 minutes, then slowly add the milk, whisking continuously.
• After the mixture has simmered again-about 2 more minutes-add some salt and pepper to taste and then the nutmeg. Be mindful of not letting the béchamel boil. Remove from the heat and set aside.
• Gather the ingredients.
• With the help of a fork, remove the meat from all parts of the cooled lobster. Reserve the empty lobster shells (just the main body) for the dish.
• Chop the lobster meat coarsely.
• In a small frying pan over medium-high heat, add the wine, sherry, lobster stock, shallot, and tarragon. Boil it down until it is thick in consistency, almost like a glaze-about 10 minutes.
• Add the béchamel sauce to the glaze, and stir well to combine.
• In a separate bowl, mix the heavy cream with the egg yolk.
• Slowly add about 1/2 cup of the béchamel-glaze mixture into the egg yolk and cream, stirring constantly. (By tempering the cream-egg mixture, you won't get scrambled eggs in your sauce.)
• Pour the egg mixture into the pan with the rest of the béchamel-glaze.
• Bring the sauce to a simmer over medium heat, but don't let boil. Add the dry mustard and some salt to taste.
• Cook until the sauce is thickened-about 3 minutes- then remove from the heat.
• Preheat the oven to 375 F. Add the lobster meat to the sauce and mix well.
• Fill the empty lobster shells with the lobster Thermidor mixture, then place on a baking sheet (lined with parchment paper if you like) and bake for 5 to 8 minutes.
• Sprinkle the top with a little paprika as a garnish. Serve and enjoy.

SCHRAFFT'S LOBSTER THERMIDOR

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Split lobsters down the middle and remove and reserve meat from tail and claws. Discard everything from the head and remove the front legs, without detaching the cartilage that holds the head and tail together. Rinse and dry shells and set aside.
• Cut reserved meat into 1/2-inch dice. Sauté in 2 tablespoons butter, add shallot, lemon juice, paprika and cayenne until warmed through. Season with salt and pepper. In another pan, sauté mushrooms in 2 tablespoons butter until tender.
• Set aside mushrooms and lobster meat. Melt the remaining butter in the pan the lobster was cooked in. Stir in the flour and mustard and cook for 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in the stock, then the cream, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Add the lobster and mushrooms and cook 2 more minutes. Season with salt, pepper and lemon.
• Spoon mixture into the shells, sprinkle with cheese and bake until the cheese is lightly browned, 10 to 12 minutes. Serve immediately.

LOBSTER THERMIDOR II

Steps:

• Cut lobsters into halves, remove meat and break into small pieces. Reserve the shells.
• Place meat, roe and liver in large bowl.
• Cover bowl and wrap shells; refrigerate both.
• Approx 25 minutes before serving: in 3-quart saucepan over medium heat, in butter, blend flour, salt, nutmeg and paprika.
• Stir in half-and-half and sherry; cook, stirring, until thickened.
• Add meat; cook until just heated, stirring occasionally.
• Preheat broiler at apprx 425-450 degrees.
• Place shells on rack in broiling pan; fill with mixture; sprinkle with cheese. Broil until cheese melts and starts to crust. Place lobsters on platter; garnish with parsley.

NEXT LEVEL LOBSTER THERMIDOR

Steps:

• Snap the claws and smaller legs away from each lobster. Cut the main section in half lengthways using a large chef's knife, and scoop the contents of the head cavities into a bowl, then remove the dark vein from the tail meat and discard. Remove the tail meat, chop into large chunks and put in another bowl. Lay the empty shells cut-side up on a baking tray and set aside.
• Crack the claws and knuckles, then pick out all the meat using a skewer or lobster pick. Roughly chop and add to the bowl with the tail meat. Put any shards of shell into the bowl with the head meat. Use a rolling pin to roll along the length of the small, spindly legs and push out the meat, then tip into the bowl with the claw and tail meat. Again, put any broken shells into the bowl with the head meat. The lobster can an be prepped up to a day before. Cover and chill the meat and broken shells until needed.
• To make the sauce, heat the butter in a large saucepan over a medium heat and cook the shallots for 5-6 mins until soft and golden. Add the broken shells and head meat, then turn up the heat and cook for 2 mins more. Splash in the wine or vermouth and bubble for 2 mins to reduce. Pour over the stock and cream, bring to the boil, then continue to cook for 10-12 mins until the mixture has reduced and thickened. Turn the heat off and leave to cool slightly, then pour into another saucepan through a fine mesh sieve, pressing the shells and meat against the mesh with the back of a spoon to extract all the sauce. Stir in the mustard and lemon juice, then taste for seasoning. The sauce can be made the day before, covered and kept chilled.
• Heat the grill to high. Spoon the claw and tail meat into the empty reserved shells. Reheat the sauce over a low heat until warmed through, if needed, then stir through the herbs. Spoon the sauce over the lobster meat in the shells, then sprinkle with the parmesan and put under the grill for 4-5 mins until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese lightly golden. Serve with chips or boiled small potatoes and a green salad.