| Maine Lobster Thermidor Recipe |
Maine Lobster Thermidor is considered to be the top of the line Maine lobster dish. It is a bit of work but with proper planning you can make it come out right.You have to make 4 cups of Mornay Sauce before hand. I would use 4 each 2.25 pound Maine lobster selects to serve 8 people if you are out to be impressive but smaller lobster can be used. First boil the lobsters according to the lobster cooking guide and set aside to become cool to the touch. Cut the Maine lobster length wise head to tail and remove the head sack and the tail canal leaving the tail shell connected to the body (it's a half a lobster dish per person). Crack the claws and remove all the meat and dice the the claws, and tail into small 1/2 inch to 1 inch cubes. Do not chop the knuckle meat. Chop and mix into the meat the tamale and roe if there is any. Set aside.
Saute 2 whole chopped shallots in 5-6 tablespoons of butter until they are transparent add 1 cup of dry white wine and reduce to 1/4 the the original amount.
Take your prepared Mornay Sauce and add dry mustard that has been soaked in water (1 tsp mustard to 2 tablespoons of water for 5 minutes).
Mix the sauce and the sauteed shallots together over low heat and stir until heated.
Mix 3 cups of the sauce with the Maine lobster meat and warm slowly. Spoon this mixture into the half shells filling the cavity and tail. Blend a 1/4 cup of whipped cream unsweetened into the remaining cup of Mornay Sauce and spread over over the four lobster halves. Sprinkle a little grated Gruyere cheese over the Maine lobster body and broil 3-4 inches from the broiler until the tops become become bubbly and golden. Remember the inside of the lobsters are already cooked so don't leave the lobsters in the oven too long. Careful they are hot. It is best to turn the oven off and with the door open let them cool enough so you can carefully pick them up with gloves. This dish can be prepared in the morning and served at dinner. You can also skip the shells and use a casserole dish.
In 1972 I was working in a restaurant in Woods Hole as a cook and Red the chef was passed out in his office. A customer ordered Maine Lobster Thermidor. It was very early in the season and no one had ordered it before. It was useless to try to revive Chef Red, so I winged it.
I cut a lobster almost in half and filled it with a lot of chopped lobster meat and bread crumbs. Covered it with butter and put it in the oven for 20 minutes and served it. About 30 minutes later the customer came back into the kitchen and said I did not serve him Maine Lobster Thermidor. I asked him how he liked it and he said, "great but that it wasn't Lobster Thermidor. It was the only time I ever received a complaintament.
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We highly recommend that for your Maine lobster recipes to come out
perfectly tasty that you use only live, fresh, quality, Maine Lobster.
Nothing compares to the fresh live Maine lobster for taste and texture.
Frozen and canned lobster products really do not compare in quality and a
definite frozen or canning taste and texture is noticeable with frozen
and canned Maine lobster meat and products.
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