Lobster Thermidor

By Chef Ludo Lefebvre

Chef Ludo shares his recipe for Lobster Thermidor, a traditional French dish that will make a delicious statement when prepared for a special occasion. Lobster gets dressed up with creamy sauce, savory seasoning, and golden-brown breadcrumbs for a decadent meal fit for a king.

Recommended pairing: 2018 Pioneer Town Chardonnay. This California Chardonnay’s subtle creaminess perfectly matches the buttery sauce while the wine’s acidity brings out the flavor of the lobster. 

Yield: 4 servings (1 lobster each serving)

Thermidor Sauce

Lobster meat

Lobster bodies

Bread Crumbs

Parmesan, grated

Chervil, finely chopped

Thermidor Sauce Ingredients

1 quart Mornay Sauce (recipe below)

½ cup Heavy Cream

2 each Shallots, brunoise

3 each Garlic, chopped fine

1 cup White Wine

12 oz Crimini Mushrooms, quartered

2 tsp Nutmeg, ground

.5 tsp Cayenne

1 tsp Mustard, ground

Salt and Black Pepper

Method

Combine the mornay and cream, heat gently and blend to combine. Set aside and keep warm.

Sweat the shallots and garlic in butter. Add the white wine and reduce by 75%.

Add the mushrooms, nutmeg, black pepper, cayenne, and mustard and cook until the mushrooms begin to soften.

Add the mornay mixture to the shallot/wine mixture and season to taste with salt and black pepper.

Mornay Sauce Ingredients

4.5 oz Plugra Butter

4.5 oz A.P. Flour

1 quart Whole Milk

45 g Parmesan Reggiano

190 g Swiss Gruyere

1 1/8 tsp Kosher Salt

1 1/2 tsp White Pepper

Method

Make a blond roux with butter and flour and cook with medium heat. Let it rest to slightly cool.

Scald milk with salt and white pepper.

Temper milk into roux mixture with a whisk slowly until the roux is a smooth before adding the rest of your milk.

Cook for 45 minutes and burr mix until smooth again to tighten the sauce.

Add the cheese with a whisk and bring to a boil while whisking for 5 minutes.

Strain sauce into hotel pan and burr mix again. Check for seasoning while hot and cool off in the refrigerator.

Lobster Meat

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil.

Add the lobsters and cook at a full boil for 5 minutes. Place directly into an ice bath.

Once the lobsters are cooled cut them in half lengthwise, remove and crack the claws. Remove and clean the meat from bodies and claws and cut into medium diced chunks.

Scrape the bodies clean and reserve for plating.

Bread Crumbs

4 tablespoons Panko

Clarified Butter as needed

Kosher Salt as needed

Method:

Cut bread into slices.

Deep fry bread until crispy and golden brown. Set aside to fully drain and cool down.

Run bread through a food processor until you make fine bread crumbs. Season to taste with Kosher Salt.

Plating:

Thoroughly, combine the lobster meat and thermidor sauce in a bowl.

Spoon sauced lobster meat into the cleaned lobster shells.

Sprinkle breadcrumbs and parmesan liberally on the lobster meat.

Return to oven and broil until the cheese is golden brown.

Garnish with finely chopped chervil.

Recipe by Ludo Lefebvre ©2016