Lobster Thermidor Atop Baby Spinach Leaves with Lemon Slices

The last two weeks have been rife with activity, good news, and celebrations. Among our festivities, Corey and I  celebrated Valentine’s Day and our 2^nd anniversary as a married couple. And it wouldn’t be a celebration in our house, if it didn’t include good food and this lobster thermidor fit the bill perfectly.

Lobster thermidor is an elegant meal for a truly special occasion. Cooked lobster meat is mixed with butter, melted cheese, and sherry, which is then placed into empty lobster tails. The mixture is topped with breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese and then broiled. The result is  creamy, cheesy lobster meat  that is absolutely sinful. The lobster is served atop a bed of mixed greens, alongside fresh lemon slices. The lemon adds a nice acidity to the dish.

This recipe comes from Classic Rachel Ray 30-Minute Meals cookbook and while Corey and I sometimes joke that her meals sometimes take longer than 30 minutes to prepare, at least for us anyways, this lobster thermidor is faster and easier than most recipes I’ve seen and is a highly enjoyable rendition of the French classic.

This is the perfect meal for company, a romantic date, or a celebration. It is one of our favorites; we love the way the dish looks—the bright orange lobster tail stuffed with cheesy deliciousness atop bright green spinach leaves. A truly stunning dish! It’s a great way to transform traditional lobster into something new and exciting. And the taste, the taste will surely satisfy even the toughest critic. Bon appétit!

Do you have a favorite French dish or favorite way to prepare lobster? Let me know in the comments.

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Lobster Thermidor

Print recipe

Region

French

Ingredients

• 2 whole lobsters
• 4 Tablespoons butter
• 1/2 small white onion (finely chopped)
• 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
• A splash of dry white wine or dry sherry
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/3 cup grated cheddar cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 Tablespoons Parmesan cheese
• 2 Tablespoons bread crumbs
• 2 Cups baby greens
• 1 lemon

Note

Sources: Boiling and removing the lobster meat, The Fannie Farmer Cookbook; lobster thermidor recipe slightly adapted from Classic Rachel Ray 30-Minute Meals.

Directions

boiling the lobster

Step 1

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 2 teaspoons salt for each quart of water used. Bring to a roiling boil and put the lobsters in the pot. The cooking time will depend on the size of the lobster. Allow 10-12 minutes for 1 pound lobsters, 15-20 minutes for 1 1/2 pound lobsters, and as much as 25 minutes for larger lobsters.

removing the meat

Step 2

Drain and shock the lobsters under cold water to cool. Twist off the claws; crack the claws with a nutcracker so the meat is easily removed. Chop the claw meat and set aside. Use kitchen scissors to cut away the soft underside of the tails. Save the tail shells , arranging them in a shallow casserole dish. Remove the meat from the tails and chop it into chunks. Mix the tail meat with the claw meat.

Step 3

Preheat the broiler to high.

Step 4

Heat a small saucepan and a medium skillet over medium heat. In the small saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Add onion and cook until very soft, 3 to 5 minutes. To the skillet, add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter. When the butter has melted, add the chopped lobster meat and sauté.

Step 5

Add flour to the saucepan with the onions and cook together 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk in wine or sherry, then milk. Remove sauce from heat and stir in the cheddar cheese and paprika. Season sauce with salt and pepper. Pour sauce over lobster meat and stir to combine.

Step 6

Pour lobster meat into and over the shells in a casserole dish and top with Parmesan cheese and bread crumbs. Broil on high until golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Serve each tail, spilling over with lobster bits in sauce, on a bed of baby greens. Serve with lemon slices.