lobster thermidor - part 2

This is my third time making lobster thermidor now in only a short span of 2 weeks. I want to get the technique down so it would stay with me. I am quite happy with the result of the third attempt.


bechamel sauce

 mirepoix with a touch of Louisiana - i used a few slices of andouille from Bourgeois Meat Market

 i pulled out the Hennessy cognac least i forget to add a dash

 the lobster is ready for the meat to be extracted

 extract all the meat from the claws

 cut the body in half - you can find a video on how online

The meat is diced up into small bite sizes. It is very important to collect the tomalley and mix it into the filling. The tomalley is one of the key flavor contributors that make lobster thermidor better than eating the lobster alone. For presentation I trimmed and save the legs to make a stock. I capture the juice that would otherwise escape when cutting the lobster body in half.
the filling of the mixture with the diced meat is overstuffed into the lobster cavities; the mixture of filling has been warmed up in a saucepan and a dash of Tabasco and cognac added

 top with cheese

 going into the broiler

this is the best lobster thermidor i made

i ate the other half for brunch the next day

When you make lobster thermidor you will always have extra stuffing unless you can save the shells of the claws and fill them too. I haven't figure out how to keep the claw shells presentable. Think of this next time you eat lobster thermidor in a restaurant because you may not be getting the whole lobster you pay for.

With my frugal Asian heritage I never let anything goes to waste. The egg white left over from preparing the bechamel sauce and the stuffing is used to make a lobster omelet.

since i ate the lobster all by myself i save the shells, and together with the trimmed legs, i made a broth; the broth is very tasty and can be use for a quick soup noodle or soup