Lobster Thermidor
In this recipe, the lobster are cooked first in a court bouillon (stock), then the flesh is removed and cut into small pieces before being cooked with the cream and alcohol. The dish is browned in the oven to finish.
35 min.
Easy
4 people
8 IngredientsLast modified on: January 22th 2012
For 4 people, you will need:
4 lobsters tail
50 g 
3 tablespoons Port
4 tablespoons Brandy (Cognac or Armagnac)
2 tablespoons 
150 ml 
Times for this recipe
Preparation: 7 min.
Cooking: 30 min.
All in all: 35 min.
If you start now, at , you will finish around : ?.Change start time
To finish around 7pm, you'll need to have started before: .Change end time
Step by step recipe
Stage 1 - 7 min.
Cook the 4 lobsters tail in court bouillon, then remove the flesh from the shells and cut into pieces or slice.
Note: do not overcook the lobster or they will become rubbery. Use a thermometer if possible, and cook until the temperature at the centre of a tail reaches 60°C (140°F).
Note: do not overcook the lobster or they will become rubbery. Use a thermometer if possible, and cook until the temperature at the centre of a tail reaches 60°C (140°F).
Stage 2 - 3 min.
Heat 50 g butter in a large frying pan on high heat. When hot, tip in the lobster pieces and sauter (fry, tossing gently in the pan) for 2 or 3 minutes.
Stage 3 - 2 min.
Pour in 3 tablespoons Port and 4 tablespoons Brandy (Cognac or Armagnac) and continue cooking until the liquid has been absorbed.
Stage 4 - 3 min.
Sprinkle with flour and cook for a further 2 or 3 minutes, stirring constantly, until the lobster begins to brown slightly.
Stage 5 - 10 min.
Pour in 150 ml cream, salt and pepper. Turn down the heat and leave to thicken on low heat.
Check seasoning.
Check seasoning.
Stage 6 - 5 min.
Divide equally between small ramekins...
Stage 7 - 5 min.
... and finish in the oven for a few minutes, until browned on the top.
Stage 8
Serve piping hot in the ramekin.
Remarks
The original very classy, but somewhat-dated recipe is for lobster Thermidor, but lobster or langoustines (Norway lobster) work very well.
In the original version, the flesh is put back into the shell rather than into ramekins, which is much prettier, but rather tricky to do. If you want to try it, stand the half-shells in a bed of coarse salt to keep them upright.
In the original version, the flesh is put back into the shell rather than into ramekins, which is much prettier, but rather tricky to do. If you want to try it, stand the half-shells in a bed of coarse salt to keep them upright.
Keeping: A few days in a sealed container, before the final oven cooking. .
Source: Based on a recipe by Ginette Mathiot.
Nutritional information
| Proteins (gr) | Carbohydrates (gr) | Fats (gr) | Energy value (in k-calories) | Energy value (in k-joules) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whole recipe | 70 RDI=30 % | 40 RDI=4 % | 100 RDI=20 % | 1,490 RDI=70 % | 6,220 RDI: 70 % |
| Per 100 g | 9 RDI=4 % | 6 RDI=1 % | 10 RDI=2 % | 220 RDI=10 % | 930 RDI: 10 % |
| Per person | 20 RDI=6 % | 10 RDI=1 % | 20 RDI=4 % | 370 RDI=20 % | 1,560 RDI: 20 % |
How much will it cost?
- For 4 people : 15.35 €
- Per person : 3.85 €
Change currency: 
Note: Be careful, these prices are only an estimate, you can consult the table of prices by ingredients used for this estimate.
This recipe uses (among others)
Cream
Like these other recipes: Crispy spinach rolls, Cream and herb dressing, Stock-pot fish , Celeriac and mushroom gratin, Soft apple cookies, ... See them all 115
Butter
Like these other recipes: Fish "à la Bordelaise", Baked sea bass fillet with lemon and tarragon, Old style brioche, Steak burger topped with egg, Leek and broccoli "à la flamande", ... See them all 466
Brandy (Cognac or Armagnac)
Like these other recipes: Chilli langoustines, Foie gras cured in salt, Terrine of foie gras, Crème de foie gras, Stuffed prunes, ... See them all 14
Other recipes you may also like
Lille style chicken
Chicken breasts and mushrooms, cooked separately, then mixed with a tasty cream sauce before serving. It's a dish with a "cuisiné" taste, but which unfortunately is becoming increasingly rare in restaurants.May 10th 2023361 K3.8 50 min.
Coconut tuiles
Delicate tuiles with coconut. Very thin, they are both crunchy and melt-in-the-mouth. Delicious on their own or to accompany an ice-cream or cream dessert, perhaps a sophisticated one like coconut-vanilla cream for Elsa .October 13th 2010326 K4.8 1 hour 15 min.
Pistachio powder or paste
Pistachio paste has a similar texture to almond paste, but the similarity ends there, as its flavour and colour are quite characteristic.October 13th 2010380 K 154 50 min.
Quick chicken curry
This curry is quick to make if you have left over cooked chicken, and is always delicious.August 25th 2011272 K5 35 min.
Pickled gherkins
Preparing your own gherkins in vinegar is quite straightforward, if you know how to avoid a few pitfalls. Here's a recipe which works every time.August 21th 2013772 K 73.1 4 hours 40 min.
News list of cooking-ez.com
Sign up to receive the latest recipes (next batch due to be sent on 2025-05-18)
Note: We'll never share your e-mail address with anyone else.
Follow this recipe
If you are interested in this recipe, you can "follow" it, by entering your email address here. You will then receive a notification immediately each time the recipe is modified or a new comment is added. Please note that you will need to confirm this following.
Note: We'll never share your e-mail address with anyone else.
Alternatively: you can subscribe to the mailing list of cooling-ez.com , you will receive a e-mail for each new recipe published on the site.
The 1 comment already posted on this recipe