Learn to make Julia Child’s Lobster Thermidor recipe. A creamy and decadent lobster dish with white wine, mushrooms and splash of cognac.
I really don’t know how to introduce this dish, the title explains it all. Julia Child’s lobster thermidor! Joe asked for this for his birthday and it has been bookmarked in my Julia Child book for months.
I have to be completely honest, I was skeptical to post this just because of the photos! When you’re a “food blogger” food photography is everything and we eat with our eyes. Because I took these photos at night they weren’t at the quality as my other photos. But I couldn’t keep this dish away from you! I am first a cook before photographer and that’s what counts. plus, this classic lobster thermidor recipe is freakin’ amazing and shouldn’t be hidden.
Lobster Thermidor Sauce is decadent and worth the effort
Thick creamy sauce with lobster stock and sweet lobster meat all through out. It is amazing, decadent and so rich. It takes time but is so worth it! I read through the recipe and gasped at the ingredients! Cream…yolks…more cream…butter…and if that wasn’t enough, a little cheese to top it off with. But alas, this is what Joe requested. When I asked him “What would you like for your birthday dinner?” thinking, oh great, we can go out and enjoy a nice meal that someone else prepares. But no, my…husband said “Lobster Thermidor” and of course not just any lobster, but Julia Child’s lobster thermidor recipe.
I’ve done a few Julia Child dishes and I have learned that it is most helpful to read the entire recipe before getting into it especially since this one has a few steps and takes time. Also, I don’t know why I didn’t photograph each step like I usually do! I hope all the steps are explained clearly. Don’t hesitate to email me asking for help! 🙂
How to make the traditional lobster thermidor recipe
Steaming the lobsters
1) In a large pot (that will fit 2 large lobsters), simmer wine, water, vegetables, herbs, and seasonings for 15 minutes. Then bring to a rolling boil and add the live lobsters. Cover and boil for about 20 minutes or until the lobsters are done and turn bright red.
2) While the lobsters are steaming, stew the mushrooms slowly in a pan with 1Tb butter, lemon juice, and salt for about 10 minutes until then begin to soften. Set aside.
The sauce
3) When the lobsters are done, remove them from the pot and put over ice. We filled our sink with ice and put the lobsters right in to cool down.
4) Save the mushroom cooking liquid and add that to the lobster stock. Bring to a boil until it has reduced to about 2 cups. (This is amazing lobster stock). Strain the stock through a sieve and discard vegetables and herbs and allow stock to stay at a simmer.
5) In another pot, cook 5 Tb butter and 6Tb flour slowly for 2 minutes without browning.Take off heat and whisk in the lobster stock. Bring to a boil while whisking for 1 minute until it gets thick. Take off heat and whisk in 1 Tb heavy cream. Set aside.
6) In another bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, dry mustard, 1/2 c heavy cream and pinch of cayenne. Add the reserved cream mixture (that is sitting on the stove) to the egg mixture. Add it slowly while whisking and then return sauce to the pan. Stir the sauce every so often with a wooden spoon. Bring sauce to a boil for 2 minutes and then simmer. You want the sauce thick enough to coat the back of the wooden spoon. Taste for seasoning.
Sauteing the lobster meat:
7) Split the lobsters in half lengthwise, keeping the shell halves intact and remove the meat from the lobster tails and claws, and cut it into 1/2 inch pieces. Clean the lobster shells well and dry them. Reserve shells.
8) In another pan, saute lobster meat with 4Tb butter for about 5 minutes until the lobster meat turns a dark rosy color. Pour in cognac carefully and bring to a boil to cook off alcohol while shaking the pan. The liquid should reduce.
Final assembly:
9) Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a large pan or bowl, mix together the mushrooms, lobster sauce and lobster meat.
10) On a baking sheet, place the 4 lobster shell halves down and wrap the bottom part of the shell with tin foil. This will help them the shelves stay in place.
11) Use the wooden spoon to scoop the lobster mixture into the shells. Don’t over fill. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese on top and place in upper 1/3 of oven. Allow to cook for 10-15 minutes until the top begins to brown.
What to serve with lobster thermidor?
I also wondered this when I was making Julia’s lobster thermidor recipe. The lobster thermidor sauce and mushrooms and lobster meat is so decadent and rich, you don’t need much else honestly.
I would suggest a clean and crisp white wine and some extra French bread to sop up the delicious sauce.
Julia Child’s Lobster Thermidor Recipe
LittleFerraroKitchen.com
Ingredients
Lobster Stock:
- 3 cups white wine
- 2 cups water
- 1 large onion cut in quarters
- 1 medium carrot cut in quarters
- 1 stalk celery cut in quarters
- Small bunch of parsley
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/4 tsp. thyme
- 6 peppercorns
- 1 Tbsp. fresh or dried tarragon
- 2 live lobsters 2 pounds each
Mushrooms:
- 1/2 pound sliced fresh mushrooms
- Tbsp. butter
- 1 tsp. lemon juice
- 1/4 tsp. salt
Sauce:
- 5 Tb. butter + 4 Tb butter separated
- 6 Tbsp. flour
- 1 Tbsp. cream + 1/2 c cream separated
- 1 Tbsp. dry mustard
- 2 egg yolks
- Pinch cayenne pepper
- 1/3 cup cognac
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan or Swiss cheese
Instructions
Steaming the lobsters:
- In a large pot (that will fit 2 large lobsters), simmer wine, water, vegetables, herbs, and seasonings for 15 minutes. Then bring to a rolling boil and add the live lobsters. Cover and boil for about 20 minutes or until the lobsters are done and turn bright red.
- While the lobsters are steaming, stew the mushrooms slowly in a pan with the 1Tb butter, lemon juice, and salt for about 10 minutes until then begin to soften.
The sauce:
- When the lobsters are done, remove them from the pot and put over ice. We filled our sink with ice and put the lobsters right in to cool down.
- Save the mushroom cooking liquid and add that to the lobster stock. Bring to a boil until it has reduced to about 2 cups. (This is amazing lobster stock). Strain the stock through a sieve and discard vegetables and herbs and allow stock to stay at a simmer.
- In another pot, cook 5 Tb butter and 6 Tb flour slowly for 2 minutes without browning.Take off heat and whisk in the lobster stock. Bring to a boil while whisking for 1 minute until it gets thick. Take off heat and whisk in 1 Tb heavy cream. Set aside.
- In another bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, dry mustard, 1/2 c heavy cream and pinch of cayenne. Add the reserved cream mixture (that is sitting on the stove) to the egg mixture. Add it slowly while whisking and then return sauce to the pan. Stir the sauce every so often with a wooden spoon. Bring sauce to a boil for 2 minutes and then simmer. You want the sauce thick enough to coat the back of the wooden spoon. Taste for seasoning.
Sauteing the lobster meat:
- Split the lobsters in half lengthwise, keeping the shell halves intact and remove the meat from the lobster tails and claws, and cut it into 1/2 inch pieces. Clean the lobster shells well and dry them. Reserve shells.
- In another pan, saute lobster meat with 4Tb butter for about 5 minutes until the lobster meats turns a dark rosy color. Pour in cognac carefully and bring to a boil to cook off alcohol while shaking the pan. The liquid should reduce.
Final assembly:
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.In a large pan or bowl, mix together the mushrooms, lobster sauce and lobster meat.
- On a baking sheet, place the 4 lobster shell halves down and wrap the bottom part of the shell with tin foil. This will help them the shelves stay in place.
- Use the wooden spoon to scoop the lobster mixture into the shells. Don't over fill. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese on top and place in upper 1/3 of oven. Allow to cook for 10-15 minutes until the top begins to brown.
Nutrition
And if you are looking for more Julia Child recipes to try, I’d love to suggest Julia Child’s cheese souffle or something a bit more manageable, Julia Child’s Mussels Mariniere.
Don’t hate, but… Julia’s instructions say “Steaming the lobster:” is the subtitle. She actually is boiling the lobster, which is the worst thing you can do for Thermidore.
I’ve made this dish before and have learned from trial and error. When live lobsters start to lose their liveliness, we used them for Lobster Thermidore, so as not to waste them.
Once a lobster dies, they release some sort of enzyme that breaks down the proteins. The meat get’s rotten and mushy!
In my opinion, the best way to cook the lobster is to poach it in a variation of a reduction of the lobster stock and cream sauce ingredients, without the roux, cream or egg yolk added.
Ohh interesting! So you’re saying to steam and not boil? If we steam it, could you still make a lobster stock? I thought this recipe was killer! But I have read steaming vs boiling before.
I was curious how long it took you to prepare this recipe from start to finish? I’d like to make it this upcoming weekend, and want to make sure I allow enough time.
Thanks!
Hi Melissa! To be honest, it took a while..I would say at least a full hour. You have to steam the lobster, cool it, then prep it and make the sauce. I would give yourself ample amount of time. Have fun! Its so worth the effort 🙂
Thanks for posting this! Quick question: the ingredients list “5 Tb. butter + 9 Tb butter, separated” but the additional 9 Tb of butter never seems to be included in the sauce. Is this a mistake? Thanks much.
Hi George!! So sorry about that..I think I was typing 9Tb because I added the 5 + 4..lol I changed it. It is 5tb used for the sauce and then 4 Tb for sauteing the lobster meat. Hope that makes it clear! Enjoy and let me know how it comes out..it is truly an amazing dish.
could you use lobster tails instead of the whole lobsters? Is one stuffed 1/2 tail per person the serving or two halves?
Sure you could use lobster tails! The recipe calls for the whole lobster to make the broth and use the meat as the stuffing. But I remember there being more stuffing than the shell held! We had 1/2 of one tail per person. The sauce and lobster is really rich! Hope you make it and please let me know how it goes 🙂
This looks SO GOOD that upon reading your post my stomach gave me an angry growl — it was probably demanding these ridiculously delicious looking lobster.
Thank you Rachel! Hope you give it a try and let me know how it comes out!
I’ve made this 3 times, and made some changes. Every version has earned rave reviews from guests…
I use fresh lobster claw and tail meat …2 pounds from a local seafood store where I also get seafood stock. I’ve added diced celery and red pepper to the mushrooms for colour and a bit of flavour.
I’ve serve it on flat soup bowls rimmed with piped on mashed potatoes that have been browned under a broiler.
Thanks for sharing Ron! I LOVE the addition of red pepper and celery..so much more flavor!! And the browned mashed potatoes sounds heavenly!
I made this tonight and my husband loved it! I do wish I would’ve used a less sweet wine. I used Mascato, which is my favorite to drink, but the sauce came out a little sweet for my liking. Also, on the boil/steam topic, because there are only 3 cups of liquid in the pot and lots of veggies etc (I used more carrots and celery than called for) the lobsters basically were steamed bc they were not in the liquid. Winning! I also used lobster tails because I thought I would chicken out on the live lobster and I don’t have a pot big enough for them lol
Hi Suzy!!!! Sounds lovely…and thanks for the tip about moscato!! I plan on remaking this with just tails so it’s a bit easier, but it’s SOOO worth the work, isn’t it??
I have a question .. I don’t want to insulate any chefs .. Can I use frozen Lobster instead .. and how do I prepare the frozen Lobster .. I’ve heard some people say thaw the frozen Lobster first or put it in the steaming directly ..
Hi Kathleen! I haven’t tried this recipe with frozen lobster, but off the top of my head I would just do everything in the regular recipe, except for steaming the lobsters, and just jump in right there..so add the lobster meat to the sauce and go on. You may want to have lobster or fish stock on the handy as well.
Mushrooms do have a classic affinity with lobster however I wouldn’t use every day buttons or cremini for this special and expensive dish. Chanterelles, morels, or even delicate oyster mushrooms would texturally lend better to this delectable rich creation. Of course Lobster mushrooms would be cool.
Oh yes!! At the time, I followed the recipe exactly which I believe called for the more popular mushrooms, but I couldn’t agree more!
Why don’t you use the BODY shells rather than the tail shells. They wld be better for stuffing less likely to fall apart plus the tail shell spinters when breaking it apart. Also trying to stuff all the meat plus more ingredients back into 4 tail halves is ambitous. I can see them being over filled. With only 2 lobsters they wld serve only 2 people here (by the sea)
Hi! Apologies for the late reply. I was following Julia’s instructions per her recipe and I’m sure she used the tails for presentation. I agree, there is more mixture then what the shells can hold so using the body of the lobster makes sense.
Am amazing dish, and something I’ve rarely seen a home cook attempt, at least in a couple decades. Thank you for giving me the motivation to try!
One tip: you can humanely dispatch the lobster just before boiling/steaming, which has no effect on the final product but is kinder to the crustacean… quick and easy, we do this with crabs, too.
https://www.thespruceeats.com/ways-to-kill-a-lobster-1808804
This might be my top favorite seafood dish from chef Samantha. The Tarragon is amazing and who thinks of using cheese and cream with lobster. I realize it’s a dish by Julia Child. Chef Samantha is making her proud.
WOW, Chef Samantha re-created a Julia Child Recipe perfectly. Cheese and tarragon, What a great combination. This was my first time trying this dish and it was Fantastic.
Thank you very much for the post. I think that this is one of “The Big Classics”. I am a totally amateur cook, but I throw some decent food on the table for my family and friends every day. I haven’t done it yet, but I’ll prepare this dish (being faithful to your recipe) in the coming weeks. I write because I think that the first comment was written by an idiot. Keep on writing about food! Fred
Hi Fred, Thank you for the positive feedback. Yeah I’m with you, seems the first comment could have come across a bit more constructive. Let me know how your recipe turns out. Thanks for following me. Samantha