Lobster Thermidor

Ingredients

• Hide ingredients for ½ cup crème fraîche or Sauce Béchamel II 1 ½ cup crème fraîche or Sauce Béchamel II (opens in new tab) ½ cup crème fraîche or Sauce Béchamel II
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup milk
  • Salt and black or white pepper
  • Grated or ground nutmeg

  Sub-recipe steps

  1. Melt in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat: 2 tablespoons butter
  2. Whisk in until well blended and smooth, about 1 ½ minutes: 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  3. Remove the pan from the heat and slowly whisk in: 1 cup milk
  4. Return the pan to the heat and bring to a simmer, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Continue to cook, whisking, until the sauce is smooth and hot and has thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. If you are using this sauce as is, season to taste with: Salt and black or white pepper; Grated or ground nutmeg
  5. Prepare White Sauce I, using 3 tablespoons butter, 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour, and 1 cup milk.
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• (1 tablespoon dry sherry, Madeira, or Cognac)
• (¼ teaspoon minced tarragon, chervil, or thyme)
• Hide ingredients for 2 Broiled Lobsters, unstuffed 1 2 Broiled Lobsters, unstuffed (opens in new tab) 2 Broiled Lobsters, unstuffed
  • Two 1½-pound live lobsters
  • (2 tablespoons fresh bread crumbs)
  • (2 teaspoons lemon juice or dry sherry)
  • Melted butter or olive oil
  • Salt and black pepper
  • Lemon wedges
  • Melted butter

  Sub-recipe steps

  1. Prepare a medium-hot grill fire, or preheat the broiler. Have ready: Two 1½-pound live lobsters
  2. Kill them by cutting through the head as directed. Turn the lobsters over and cut through the flesh of each one from head to tail, leaving the top shell intact, and pry the shells open so the lobsters lie flat like open books. Remove and discard the head sacs and tail veins. If broiling the lobsters, you may prepare a stuffing by removing both coral, if present, and tomalley and mixing them together with: (2 tablespoons fresh bread crumbs); (2 teaspoons lemon juice or dry sherry)
  3. Stuff it into the cavities. Brush the exposed lobster meat (and the stuffing, if using) with: Melted butter or olive oil
  4. Season to taste with: Salt and black pepper
  5. If grilling or broiling unstuffed, place shell side down over indirect heat on the grill or shell side up on a baking sheet under the broiler and cook about 10 minutes. If broiling stuffed, place shell side down on a baking sheet and broil about 10 minutes. Serve with: Lemon wedges; Melted butter
• (Shredded Gruyère)