Lobster thermidor
Serves: 1
Ingredients
- 1 450g-675g live lobster, or cooked
- for the sauce:
- 15g butter
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- 60ml white wine
- 60ml fish or shellfish stock
- 75ml double cream
- ¼ tsp English mustard
- 1½tsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 1tbsp flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
- 1tsp tarragon, finely chopped
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 40g grated Gruyere cheese
Method
- Place the lobster in a freezer for 2 hours to render it inert.
- Bring large pan of salted water to a rolling boil, lower the lobster into it carefully.
- Cook the lobster for 10-12 mins per 500g.
- Allow to cool, then split in half lengthways and clean out the stomach sac, the black intestine and any bits of stray shell.
- Extract all the meat from the tail and claws.
- Keep any roe and liver.
- Chop the meat into small chunks and set aside.
- Line a grill pan with foil and set the grill to the highest heat.
- Melt the butter in a small pan and fry the chopped shallot gently until soft but not brown.
- Add the wine and reduce it by half, then add the stock and reduce that by half.
- Add the cream and boil until thickened, and then stir in the mustard, lemon and herbs, season with salt and pepper to taste.
- There should be enough sauce to coat the chopped lobster and some left over to fill the cavity.
- Stir in half the cheese until it has melted through.
- Combine the lobster meat with the sauce, divide between the shells and sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top.
- Pop the lobster under a hot grill for 3-4 mins until it’s bubbling and golden brown.
