Lobster Thermidor is a rich dish that is said to have been named by Napoleon after the month in which he first tasted it. Thermidor was the 11th month of the Republican calendar used briefly after the French Revolution. It consists of lobster tail meat that has been cooked and removed from the shell and tossed with a rich cream sauce flavoured with mustard and brandy, then topped with Gruyere cheese and browned under the grill.
I have substituted Glebe Breton cheese for the Gruyere as it is a fantastic Gruyere style cheese made in Co Louth, and I think it's very impotant to use as many of our great local suppliers as possible.
I have substituted Glebe Breton cheese for the Gruyere as it is a fantastic Gruyere style cheese made in Co Louth, and I think it's very impotant to use as many of our great local suppliers as possible.
Ingredients;
For the chips;
Vegetable oil, for deep-frying
2 large baking potatoes
sea salt to taste
For the lobster thermidor;
750g Locally caught lobster, cooked in boiling water for 4min then chilled in iced water
25g butter
1 shallot, peeled and finely chopped
275ml fish stock
50ml brandy
110ml double cream
½ tsp English mustard
2 tbsp roughly chopped, fresh flat leaf parsley
Juice from half a lemon
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
20g Glebe Breton cheese, grated
Method;
Heat vegetable oil in a deep-fat fryer to 140c
For the chips, slice the potatoes into 1.5cm thick long chips. Carefully place the chips in the hot vegetable oil and cook for 5-6 minutes or until just tender, but without colour. Remove carefully from the fryer using a metal slotted spoon. Turn up the temperature to 190c. Carefully place the chips back into the hot vegetable oil and fry for a further 3-4 minutes or until golden and cooked through. Remove from the fryer using a metal slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper. Season with salt, to taste.
Meanwhile, for the lobster thermidor, cut the lobster in half using a sharp knife. Remove the meat from the claws, tail and head and set aside. Cut the lobster meat up and place back into the shell.
For the sauce, put the butter in a saucepan over a medium to high heat, add the shallots and fry until softened. Pour the stock, brandy and double cream into the saucepan, bring to the boil and reduce by half. Add the mustard, herbs and lemon juice to the sauce. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
Pre-heat the grill to its highest setting.
Spoon the sauce over the lobster meat and sprinkle with the grated cheese.
Place onto a tray and under the pre-heated grill for 3-4 minutes until golden brown.
To serve, place half the lobster onto a serving plate and serve alongside the chips.
lovely, definitely giving this recipe a go