Cookbook:Lobster Thermidor

Lobster thermidor is a dish created by stuffing an empty lobster tail with sautéed lobster meat that is cooked with butter, a light wine (often sherry), and cream. The resulting sauce is stuffed into a lobster shell then topped with either a cheese, mushrooms or combination of vegetables before being placed under an open flame or broiled.

The dish originated in Europe but was popularized in the US in the mid-20th century. Perhaps the most prominent reference to Lobster Thermidor is in the movie Citizen Kane; while never shown, is it used as an example of early 20th century Northeastern haute cuisine.

While present in older American cookbooks, the preparation is no longer widely-known. It is related to Lobster Newberg, another lobster tail recipe commonly presented in older Northeastern-themed cookbooks.

Ingredients

 * ½ lb (225 g) cooked lobster meat, preferably from the tail; see notes
 * 1 cleaned lobster tail shell
 * 3 tablespoons butter or margarine
 * 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream
 * 2 egg yolks
 * ½ cup (120 ml) sherry or brandy
 * ½ cup (120 g) grated gruyere or mozzarella cheese
 * Salt
 * Freshly-ground black pepper

Filling

 * 1) In a serving bowl, mix together egg yolks and cream, then set aside for later use.
 * 2) In a saucepan large enough to accommodate everything, warm the butter over low heat until it melts.
 * 3) Add the cooked lobster meat and wine to the butter, then sauté over medium-high heat for about 2–3 minutes, or until the meat is warmed through and the wine has been mostly absorbed.
 * 4) Slowly add the cream and egg mixture, stirring all the time to ensure that the sauce is evenly mixed.
 * 5) When the sauce has thickened remove from heat.

Assembly

 * 1) Set oven to broil or prepare an open flame.
 * 2) Carefully stuff the empty lobster tail with the filling.
 * 3) Top the filling with the grated cheese, salt, and pepper.
 * 4) Place the filled shell underneath the open flame and broil for 3–8 minutes, or until the cheese melts and turns a golden brown.
 * 5) Remove from the oven, and serve on a warmed plate with garnish and appropriate accompaniments.

Notes, tips, and variations

 * Cooking and shelling a fresh lobster can be a time consuming process, so frozen or pre-shelled tail meat is often used as a substitute. If you would like to prepare your own lobster meat, refer to the recipe for boiled lobster.
 * While the base preparation of Lobster Thermidor often remains the same, the type of wine or cheese used, or the way that the lobster is cooked differs.
 * Some preparations include utilizing the broth generated from cooking the lobster with carrots, celery, tarragon, and wine as an additional ingredient to thicken the sauce of cream and sherry.