[Food Photo Series] Rock Lobster Tails Thermidor and The Recipe

This dish was renamed after Lobster Thermidor, which is thought to have been created in 1894 by Chez Marie, a Paris restaurant, for the opening of Victorien Sardou's play Thermidor. Others say it was first tasted by Napoleon during Thermidor, the 11th month of the calendar invented during the French Revolution.

Well, I saw a recipe of Lobster Thermidor in Canadian Living magazine, issued on February 2008. Two days ago, I remember I still had frozen lobster tails in my freezer. I convinced myself to give a try this recipe since it was my first time cooking lobster and modified the recipe as well by adding crushed chili, substituting chives for green onions.

I enjoyed this lobster tails with drizzle lime over, not lemon. Folks, enjoy the pictures and give a try the recipe.

Rock Lobster Tails Thermidor
Adapted from Canadian Living magazine and modified by me

Ingredients:
6 frozen rock lobster tails, thawed
minced green onions
crushed chili
lime wedges


B�chamel Sauce:
1 tbsp (12.5 mL) unsalted butter
1 shallot, minced
1 white part of leek, chopped
1/2 stalk celery, diced
1 tbsp (12.5 mL) all-purpose flour
3/8 cup (67.5 mL) milk
1/8 cup (25 mL) clam juice
1/2 tbsp (7.5 mL) sherry (I omit this and substituted for lime/lemon juice)
1/8 tsp (1/2 mL) each salt and white pepper
Pinch ground mace or nutmeg (I grated whole nutmeg)

Directions:
1. Fill large deep pot with enough salted water (1 tbsp/15 mL salt per 4 cups/1 L water) to completely cover lobsters; bring to full rolling boil. Grasp back of each lobster; reduce to bubbly simmer; cook for 10 minutes or until lobster is bright red. Remove from water; let cool.


2. Halve lobsters lengthwise.


3. Set on foil-lined rimmed baking sheet.


4. B�chamel Sauce: In small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat; fry onion and celery for 6 minutes or until softened. Sprinkle with flour; cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Whisk in milk, clam juice, sherry, salt, pepper and mace/nutmeg; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium; cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until thickened. Strain through fine sieve into small bowl. (Make-ahead: Cover and set aside for up to 30 minutes; reheat.)


5. Cover lobster meat with sauce. Bake in 450�F (230�C) oven for about 14 minutes or until golden and bubbly. Sprinkle with green onions and crushed chili. Before eating drizzle with lime wedges.