Lobster Thermidor, when made from live lobster and bathed in a saffron-infused mornay sauce, becomes a decadent reinterpretation of a French-Creole classic. This dish takes its cues from the storied back room of Antoine’s in New Orleans’ French Quarter—an era when the menu was written in French and thick as the New Testament.
In this golden era, the preparation was restrained. Lobster meat was simply chopped, dressed in plain béchamel, and baked with a dusting of breadcrumbs au gratin style. No frills. No fireworks.
Today’s lobster thermidor is a different story. The béchamel is enriched with parmigiano cheese, thickening it into a velvety mornay sauce, infused with the gentle earthiness and golden hue of saffron. This not only adds depth of flavor, but also creates a beautiful contrast in color.
The Show
The succulent lobster meat is tucked back into its eye-catching, brilliant red shell. It’s enrobed and topped with mornay sauce, crowned with cheese and panko crumbs, then broiled until golden brown. A final flourish with chopped chives adds a fresh, green contrast and a whisper of sharpness.
This is no longer a subdued classic, it’s now a dazzling culinary centerpiece, paired with duck-fat confit marble potatoes and seared bok choy.
Let’s Make Lobster Thermidor
Begin with béchamel sauce, one of the five French “mother sauces”. Enrich it with finely grated parmigiano cheese to create a luscious mornay sauce.
Lobster shell stuffed with mornay and chopped lobster meat.
Live Lobster Substitutes?
If your lobster traps are empty, you can substitute shrimp, or if you have a mudbug farm in your backyard, crawfish tails are wonderful. You want to stick with lobster, but can’t find live ones? Use frozen lobster tails, just thaw, boil and chop. Mix any of these with the mornay sauce, place in a ramekin, top with cheese and panko and bake! Print
Lobster Thermidor
A favorite French Creole dish using live lobster and mornay sauce
- Prep Time: 45
- Cook Time: 25
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings 1x
Ingredients
Parmigiano Mornay Sauce
- 1/2 stick unsalted butter
- 4 TBL flour
- 3/4 cup whole milk
- 3/4 cup half and half
- 2 TBL parmigiano cheese – finely grated
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 2 dashes cayenne pepper
- 1 pinch saffron – optional
Lobster Thermidor
- 1 large live lobster – about 1.5 pounds
- 1.5 cups mornay sauce
- 1/4 cup bread crumbs
- 1/4 cup parmigiano cheese – grated
- Chives – chopped – garnish
Instructions
Mornay Sauce
- Place the butter in a sauce pot and melt it over medium heat. When it begins to bubble, add the flour and whisk for 3 minutes to create a blond roux.
- Whisk in the milk, then the half and half, salt, pepper, nutmeg, mustard, parmigiano cheese and saffron (if using). Continue until it begins to thicken, then remove from heat and set aside – keep warm.
Lobster Thermidor
- Preheat oven to 450. Put a well salted, large pot of water on high heat and bring to a rolling boil. Prepare an ice bath for chilling the lobster after it is boiled
- Place the lobster in the boiling water for 3 minutes, then remove and place it in the ice bath for 10 minutes to stop the cooking and to facilitate removal of the meat from the shell
- Remove the two claws with the knuckles, crack or break them open with a mallet, pick out the meat and reserve. Cut the lobster shell open beginning on the bottom, from tail to head with kitchen shears. Turn it over and repeat the process on the top. Gently pull apart the shell halves, pick out the meat and reserve
- Gently clean the shell under cold running water with a brush to remove and discard the greenish-brown tomalley
- Chop the lobster meat into bite-size pieces
- Reheat and whisk the mornay sauce. Thin with a little milk if necessary. Place the lobster shells onto a baking sheet and spoon mornay sauce into each shell, then pack the shells with the chopped lobster
- Cover all the meat with more mornay sauce, then top it with a mixture of parmigiano and panko bread crumbs
- Bake for 5-6 minutes, then turn to full broil. Remove when the panko and cheese browns – about 1 minute more
- Remove from the oven and plate with tongs and a spatula to support the lobster
This looks incredible! I can smell the butter and lobster from here!
You can also freeze the bechamel sauce for much later use.