Beth's Lobster Thermidor Recipe

This lobster thermidor recipe is a classic dish that deserves to be in your repertoire. It's elegant and fancy and oh so delicious! It's the perfect "special occasion" dish that will impress just about anybody!

You can prep most of the components a day ahead and then fill the shells and broil. It's rich and decadent and so delicious too! 

Looking for more lobster recipes? Try my Bouche a la Reine with Lobster, another fantastic lobster recipe that can be made in advance. 

Recipe Pairing Ideas:

• This dish is pretty rich so a tossed salad with a simple vinaigrette is your best bet! If you are looking for starch, then I would do white rice tossed with butter and parsley.
• For a starter try my Cream of Celery Soup recipe
• For dessert, try my Strawberry Pistachio Tart with Breton Sable Crust

Watch My Lobster Thermidor Video Tutorial Below!

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How Difficult is This Recipe?

Then you'll sauté up some vegetables, add some sherry and reduce. You'll create a roux and add some fish stock, cook until a smooth sauce develops, add back in your veggies, lobster, heavy cream, and seasonings, spoon into the lobster shells, top with cheese broil, and serve!

Step#1: Use Lobster Tails Over a Full Lobster

Lobster tails are not only more affordable, but they are so much easier to work with, especially if you are squeamish about boiling live lobsters. I also find the lobster tail meat is the tastiest part of the lobster too! 

Roasting Brings Out The Best Flavor

The other thing that makes this recipe easy, is the lobster is roasted, over steamed, or boiled. At 400F it only takes 15-20 minutes. This part can also be done a day ahead, and once cooled you can store the tails in the refrigerator until ready to pick out the meat and serve. 

Step#2: Chop the Lobster Meat

To release the lobster meat, cut the shell with scissors on each side of the shell to release the center panel. This will allow you to release the lobster meat in one piece, and create a lobster shell that will be easy to fill for serving. 

Then cut the lobster meat into bite-sized pieces and set aside. You'll place the lobster meat into the sauce at the last minute. The warmth from the sauce will also reheat the lobster meat too. 

Step#3: Make the Lobster Thermidor Sauce

In a large skillet, saute the shallots until fragrant and translucent. Then you'll add the mushrooms and continue to cook until both are soft and fragrant. 

Slicing Mushrooms vs. Store-Bought Sliced Mushrooms

For this recipe, it's better to slice the mushrooms yourself rather than buy pre-sliced mushrooms. I realize during the holidays it's tempting to buy those pre-sliced mushrooms, but they are sliced too thick to fit in the lobster shells.

Slicing the mushrooms yourself will create a much thinner mushroom slice which will create a better texture for your lobster thermidor sauce, and allow the lobster meat to be the most dominant piece in the sauce. 

Make-Ahead Tip:

After adding the sweet sherry and reducing the shallot and mushroom mixture you can transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to complete the sauce.

Step#4: Finishing the Sauce

The day you plan to serve the Lobster Thermidors, all you'll have to do is make the sauce add the shallot and mushroom mixture, and the lobster meat.

The base of the sauce is a roux, which is created with butter and flour and then thinned with fish stock and thickened with heavy cream. Once the mushroom and shallot mixture is added back in, you'll add the lobster meat. 

Step#5: Serving the Lobster Thermidor

Once the sauce is ready and the lobster meat has been warmed through, spoon the mixture back into the shells. 

It's also nice to add a little freshly grated parmesan cheese on top to allow the tops to get nicely browned and crispy. 

Then add a little freshly chopped parsley for some greenery and freshness. It's also a nice compliment to the richness of the sauce. 

Serve the lobster Thermidor with the salad, tossed in the vinaigrette. One of my favorite white wines to serve with this dish is either a Sauvignon Blanc or a Sancerre. 

I'm always amazed at the wide variety of Sancerre wines available at Trader Joe's! I can usually find a great bottle for under $15.00! 

More Seafood Recipes!

• Salmon with Buerre Blanc Sauce
• Easy Shrimp Stir Fry
• New England Shrimp Rolls 
• Shrimp, Mango and Avocado Salad

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Beth's Lobster Thermidor Recipe

Yield: serves 2

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

A Lobster Thermidor Recipe is a classic that deserves to be in your repertoire. It's elegant and fancy and oh so delicious!  It's the perfect "special occasion" dish that will impress just about anybody! 

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Ingredients

• 2 8-0z Lobster Tails
• 1 tsp olive oil (5 ml)
• 1 tbsp butter (15 g)
• 2 shallots
• ½ cup (75 g) sliced mushrooms
• ¼ cup (60 ml) of sweet sherry
• 2 tbsp (30 g) butter
• 2 tbsp (15 g) flour
• ¾ cup (180 ml) of fish stock
• ¼ cup (60 ml) of heavy cream
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh tarragon
• 2 tbsp (11 g) freshly grated parmesan cheese

Salad Dressing:

• 1 tsp (5 ml) mustard
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) red wine vinegar
• 6 tbsp (90ml) grapeseed or vegetable oil
• 1 minced shallot
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400F (200 C).
2. Cut lobster tails up the center to expose the meat, with kitchen shears. Drizzle with olive oil. Place on a rimmed cookie sheet and bake for 15-20 mins until lobster meat is cooked through.
3. Set aside and allow to cool.
4. Meanwhile, melt 1 tbsp of butter in a large sautee pan, then add shallots and cook until translucent, add mushrooms and cook until they release their juices. Add sherry, and cook until reduced by a third. About 2 mins.
5. At this point you could allow mixture to cool, refrigerate and store up to 2 days until ready to use.
6. Cut the rest of the lobster's underside tail shell, to remove and expose the full shell and remove the cooked meat. Remove the meat and save the shells for presentation. Roughly chop the meat into bite sized pieces and set aside.
7. In a large skillet melt 2 tbsp of butter until foamy, add the flour and mix with a spoon until a smooth paste forms. Then slowly add the fish stock, whisking until a smooth sauce develops. Then add the mushroom mixture, and the heavy cream. Cook for 1 mins until thickened. Add the salt, pepper and tarragon. Then add the cooked lobster.
8. Spoon the mixture back into the shells, top with cheese and broil until cheese and mixture bubbles.
9. Serve in the shells, along with a tossed salad and crisp glass of Sancerre wine. Bon Appétit!
10. For salad Dressing: In a small bowl combine mustard and vinegar.
11. Then slowly whisk in the oil, a little at a time, whisking all the while until an emulsion forms and dressing is combined.
12. Add shallot and salt and pepper. Toss with greens!

Notes

Make-Ahead Tip:

After adding the sweet sherry and reducing the shallot and mushroom mixture you can transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to complete the sauce.

Wine Pairing:

Serve with a crisp Sancerre wine. Trader Joe's has some great ones for under $15

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 2 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 641Total Fat: 18gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 331mgSodium: 1221mgCarbohydrates: 19gFiber: 2gSugar: 4gProtein: 95g