Lobster Tail Thermidor

Alright, so I know I promised the next recipe I posted would be the steamed artichokes and I had every intention of doing just that but I came home to make them on Thursday night and my artichokes were moldy and gross. Thus my plan was thwarted. BUT I bought more artichokes and come Hell or high water, I'm making them tomorrow with a crusty bread.


Anyway, so the following is a recipe from Rachel Ray's 30-Minute Get-Togethers cookbook for Lobster Tail Thermidor that I made last night to celebrate Nate and my date-aversary. Nate and I began our relationship on September 27, 2012 (goodness that seems like a long time ago). Now that we're married we don't make a big to-do over our date-aversary but still like to remember it fondly with a nice meal and (of course) a glass or two of champagne.


While I was cooking this delicious lobster dish I couldn't help but to think back on how far I've come in my cooking - Nate can attest that when we first got together five years ago I couldn't cook much more than boxed macaroni and cheese, dinosaur chicken nugget stir-fry (yes, this is a real dish I would make), and the occasional penne in olive oil. I was truly a novice and couldn't even dream that I'd make something as sophisticated as lobster tail.


According to the internet-machine, Lobster Therimdor "is a French dish consisting of a creamy mixture of cooked lobster meat, egg yolks, and brandy, stuffed into a lobster shell. It can also be served with an oven-browned cheese crust." Thank you, Google. My dish, I suppose, was not traditional Thermidor because it didn't contain egg yolks or brandy, but was still darn tasty!


Lobster Tail Thermidor

2 4 oz lobster tails
4 Tbsp butter, divided
1 small white onion, finely chopped
2 Tbsp flour
Splash dry white wine or sherry (I used white wine)
1/2 C 2% milk
1/3 C grated white cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 Tsp paprika or seafood seasoning (I went the seafood seasoning route)
2 Tbsp shredded parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp breadcrumbs
lemon wedges, for garnish


Bring a pot filled with 3-4 inches of water to a boil. Poach the lobster tails for 8 minutes and run under cold water to stop the cooking process. Using kitchen sheers, cut away the soft underside of the lobster tail. Cut a slit down the top of the lobster tail and scoop out the meat, try to keep the shell as intact as possible for serving. Cut the cooked lobster into large chunks and set aside.


In a deep skillet over medium heat, sauté onion in 2 Tbsp of butter for 5 minutes. Melt the remaining 2 Tbsp of butter and add in the lobster meat and sauté for 1 minute. Whisk in the flour, white wine, milk and seasonings. Remove from heat and add in the cheddar cheese to melt.


Arrange your lobster shells in a shallow casserole dish and fill them with the deliciously creamy mixture. Top each tail with 1 Tbsp bread crumbs and 1 Tbsp parmesan cheese shreds and broil on high for 3 minutes, or until crust is golden brown.


The lobster meat was tender, the sauce was creamy and rich and the whole dish was just luxurious! If lobster tails weren't so expensive, ($20 for 2 at my local grocery store) I would eat this meal weekly.


Happy date-aversary, Nathan. I love you forever.

Now, really stay tuned for steamed artichoke hearts and crusty bread!