A Modern Twist on a French Classic

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Make A Modern Twist on a French Classic

Lobster Thermidor is a French dish traditionally consisting of cooked lobster in a creamy sauce, often served in the shell with a Gruyere crust. This classic has a modern twist by serving the Thermidor as a creamy mousse.  A wonderful appetizer, luncheon dish or Sunday brunch item.

Lobster Thermidor Mousillene with Ginger Jelly

           

Makes 6

Total time:  2 hours, plus chilling

Ingredients

Lobster/Mouselline

2 1/4 lb of lobster

4 gelatin leaves

1 oz of Hennessy cognac

1 1/2 cups of whipping cream, whipped; plain, no sugar

Lobster Stock

1 onion, chopped

1 celery stick, chopped

1 carrot, chopped

2 tbsp of olive oil

2 tbsp of brandy

2 plum tomatoes, chopped

1/2 cup of white wine

1/4 oz of parsley stalks

6 cups of water

Ginger Jelly

9 oz of ginger, peeled

2 lemons, juiced

1 1/2 cups of water

7 oz of fine sugar

6 gelatin leaves

Fennel Seed Tuile

11 oz of potato

3 egg whites

1 oz of fennel seeds

1 oz of Parmesan, finely grated

1 quart of oil, for frying

To Plate

1 tbsp of crème fraîche

1 tsp dill, chopped

1 oz of mixed salad leaves

Lobster

Put the lobsters in a freezer. This will render them insensate. Boil some water. Once the lobsters are insensate, place each on its back with its claws tied and hold it firmly by the top of its head.

Place the tip of a very sharp chef's knife on the head just beneath its mouth, lining the blade up with the lobster’s mid line with the blade side pointed toward its tail.

Ask the person behind the seafood counter to do this for you if you intend to make the dish right away.

Once the lobsters are dead, pull each head away from the tail and pull the claws off. Cook the tails in simmering water for 3 minutes and the claws for 5. Put both into iced water for 5 minutes. Drain.

Remove all the meat from the cooked body and tail. Crack the claws and extract all the flesh, putting the shell aside for the stock. Chill the lobster meat until needed.

Make the lobster stock by sauteing the lobster shells in a little oil. Add the onion, celery and carrot and cook until lightly colored and softened.

Add the brandy and boil until it has evaporated. Add the tomatoes and white wine. Bring to a simmer, add the parsley and water and bring back to a simmer for 20 minutes.

Pour all of this into a blender or processor to break up the shells  (you may have to batch this). Sieve into a saucepan and bring to a simmer and reduce to half the quantity. Let cool.

You can skip this step by using 2 1/2 cups of a ready made lobster or seafood stock. If you would like to intensify the flavor of the ready made stock: Melt 4 tbsp of butter in a large seafood saute pan, add the shells and saute in the lightly bubbling butter for about 15 minutes  with the top on the pan, adding just enough of the stock to keep it from burning or drying out.  At the end of that time, add the remaining stock and simmer for about 30 minutes. Strain and reserve.

Mousseline   

Soak the gelatin in cold water until floppy. Drain and stir into  2 1/2 cups of the warm lobster reduction with the cognac. Fold in the whipped cream.

Set 6 ring molds (or small ramekins sprayed with release) on a tray and fill each with the mixture. Chill to set.

Ginger Jelly

Blitz the ginger with the lemon juice and water in a blender. Pour into a pan and add the sugar. Bring to the boil and skim. Cool slightly.

Soak the gelatine in cold water until floppy. Add to the ginger mixture. Pour through a fine sieve and pour into a shallow lipped tray. Chill to set

Tuiles

Cook the potatoes in boiling water until tender. Drain well. Push through a fine sieve and cool. Heat the oven to 275°F

Whisk the egg white. Mix 8 3/4 oz of the potato and egg white together and season. Spread thinly on parchment paper and sprinkle with fennel seeds and Parmesan. Bake for 15-20 minutes until firm.

Remove from the oven and cool. Break into pieces. Heat the oil in a fryer and deep fry until golden brown.

Plating/Presentation

Choose 18 pieces of lobster and coat them in crème fraiche followed by dill. Put each mousseline on a plate and carefully lift off the ring or mold

Decorate the top of each mousseline with 3 pieces of lobster. Add some lettuce leaves and herbs to each plate. Chop the set ginger jelly into pieces and arrange some on each plate.

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