Lobster Thermidor

Absolute indulgence. Lobster meat chopped up, mixed with a creamy, cheesy sauce, added back into the shell and grilled. Served with some oven fries (that I definitely made myself). This might top the monkfish Wellington.

Ingredients

1x Live lobster 500-750g

2 tablespoons butter

1 shallot, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves

100ml white wine

100ml double cream

1tbsp Dijon mustard

20g grated Gruyère cheese

20g parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Method

Step 1

To kill the lobster, take a sharp knife, place the tip on the crack that you’ll find set slightly behind the eyes on the head, and press down firmly and quickly, splitting the head completely in half.

Step 2

Bring a large pot of water to boil, then boil the lobster for 12 minutes. Remove from the water and place on a chopping board. Using a sharp knife, cut the main section of the lobster in half lengthways. Scoop out the gunky contents of the head and remove the dark vein, then discard. Scoop out the tail meet, chop it into smaller chunks then at to a bowl. Rip off the claws and remove the meat from them. Chop the claw meat and add to a bowl. Place the empty shells on a baking tray, cavity side up and leave for later.

Step 3

Heat the butter in a pan and fry down the shallots for 3-4 minutes, then add the garlic and fry till fragrant. Add the wine and cook out the alcohol (about 1 minute). Add the cream, Dijon mustard and stir all together. Grate the parmesan in, add the the majority of the gruyère then stir till all melted into a thick sauce. Add the lemon juice and parsley, then season to taste with salt and pepper.

Step 4

Heat the grill to high. Take the sauce off the heat, then pour all the meat into the sauce. Stir together, then add the mixture into the lobster shells. Top with more Gruyère, then place under the grill until the cheese has melted and starts to brown. Sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley and serve with chips.