Lobster Thermidor
Recipe Courtesy of Emeril Lagasse

Lobster Thermidor is a French dish consisting of a creamy, cheesy mixture of cooked lobster meat, egg yolks, and brandy or sherry, stuffed into a lobster shell, and optionally served with an oven-browned cheese crust. The sauce must contain mustard (typically powdered mustard) in order to be true to the original recipe and to have the distinctive Thermidor taste.

Lobster Thermidor was created in 1894 by Marie's, a Paris restaurant near the theatre Comedie-Français, to honor the opening of the play Thermidor by Victorien Sardou. The Word "Thermidor" is of Graeco-French origin and is the name of the eleventh month in the French Revolutionary calendar. It means the month of heat, and ran from July 19th- August 17th. Lobster Thermidor is a country-style dish that goes well with a simple wine. Many people prefer to drink a good beer with it.

1 whole lobster, about 2 to 2 1/2 pounds
2 lemons, halved
1 onion, quartered
1 bouquet garni
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
2 tablespoons minced shallots
1/4 cup white wine
2 cups milk
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh tarragon
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons finely chopped parsley

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Bring a pot of salted water containing the lemons, quartered onion and bouquet garni to a boil. Add the lobster to the boiling water and cook for 8 to 12 minutes. Remove the lobster from the water and place in a bowl of ice water. This will stop the cooking process of the lobster.

In a sauce pan, melt the butter. Stir in the flour and cook for 2 to 3 minutes for a blond roux. Add the shallots and cook for 30 seconds. Stir in the wine and milk. Bring the liquid up to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook for about 3 to 4 minutes or until the sauce coats the back of a spoon. This sauce will be thicker than a normal Bechamel because it will be used as a filling. Season the sauce with salt and pepper. Remove the sauce from the stove and stir in the mustard and tarragon.

Remove the lobster from the water and split the lobster in half. Remove the tail meat from the shells and with the back of a knife, gently crack the claws. Dice the tail meat and fold in the Bechamel sauce. Stir in 1/2 cup of the cheese and reseason if necessary.

Divide the mixture and spoon into the two lobster tail shells. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top of the lobster. Place the filled lobster on a baking sheet and place in the oven. Bake for about 8 to 10 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Garnish with parsley and serve at once.