For Lobster Thermidor Day, I open my 2017 cookbook Lobacious Lobster. Among the “Decadently Super Simple Recipes” is KISS Lobster Thermidor (page 89), ideal for Lobster Thermidor Day!
KISS Lobster Thermidor
The first time I was served a Lobster Thermidor in a restaurant, I was wide-eyed and overwhelmed by the richness and unrelenting decadence. When I figured out how simply it could actually be made, I felt giddy. Naturally, I simply must let you enjoy this pleasure, as well.
6 whole lobsters (1 and ½ to 2 lb size), steamed & cut in half lengthwise
4 T melted butter
¼ c Dijon mustard
6 T butter
6 T flour
1 c milk
2 c heavy or whipping cream
1 c coarsely grated or shredded Parmesan cheese
Sea salt & freshly ground black pepper, to suit your taste
2 T butter (not melted)
Remove the meat from the lobsters, cutting into large chunks & saving 4 of the half shells to use as your “dishes.” Brush the insides of the 4 shells you will use as dishes with 4 T melted butter, followed by the mustard. Set aside in baking pan with edges. Mound the lobster meat from the 6 lobsters into the 4 prepared “dishes.” In a saucepan, melt 6 T butter over low heat & stir in the flour. Remove from the heat and gradually add the milk, stirring until smooth. Return to the low heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens. Stir in the cream, 1/3 of the cheese and salt & pepper to suit your taste. Pour the sauce over the 4 filled lobster halves. Sprinkle with remaining cheese & dot with remaining butter. Bake at 400°F for just 6-8 minutes. Serve hot. Makes 4 servings.
KISS Tips: This is also lovely with the addition of sautéed sliced mushrooms. If you find coral (eggs) in the lobsters, you can mix it in with the cream to add to the sauce near the end. If it is your preference, you could also save it for another use. We also suggest serving lemon wedges and sprigs of fresh parsley as garnishes on each lobster.
Super Simple New England Clam Chowder
Want to use fresh clams to replace some or all the canned ones? Scrub 7-8 lbs fresh cherrystone or littleneck clams. Bring 5 cups water and 1 cup white wine to a boil in Dutch oven. Add clams, cover and let cook 5 minutes. Use slotted spoon to remove opened clams. Cover and let cook another 2-4 minutes. Remove remaining opened clams and discard any that failed to open. Pour remaining clam juice through fine mesh sieve to remove any shell bits or sand. (Add bottled clam juice or water if you don’t have a total of 4 cups of broth.) When clams have cooled, remove from shells and finely chop.
For National Peach Melba Day, let’s whip up a batch of this delectable Victorian-era dessert, originally made from peaches, raspberries, and ice cream. (Hmmm… rather like a frozen Bellini.) The dish was created by French Chef Auguste Escoffier in 1893 at London’s Savoy Hotel and named after the opera singer Nellie Melba. (Yes, the Melba Toast was also named after her.)
Super Simple Peach Melba
The deep-fried cakes we know as doughnuts or donuts enjoy a long European history and an even longer Middle Eastern legacy. Arab cooks fried up small portions of dough and drenched them in surgary syrup. In Ancient Rome and Greece the fried pastry strips were coated with honey. Called oily cakes or fried cakes, they were introduced to the Western hemisphere by Dutch immigrants in New AmsterdamThe deep-fried cakes we know as donuts enjoy a long European history and an even longer Middle Eastern legacy. Arab cooks fried up small portions of dough and drenched them in surgary syrup. In Ancient Rome and Greece the fried pastry strips were coated with honey. Called oily cakes or fried cakes, they were introduced to the Western hemisphere by Dutch immigrants in New Amsterdam, now called Manhattan.
“An effective technique in developing a peaceful mind is the daily practice of silence. Begin to listen for the deeper sounds of harmony and beauty that are to be found in the essence of silence.”
For National Shortbread Day, I thought I toss in a twist on the standard, melt-in-your-mouth shortbread cookie. With Potato Chip Cookies, you get all that sweet decadence with a balanced touch of saltiness tossed in and a touch of crispiness, too.
I love quotations because it is a joy to find thoughts one might have, beautifully expressed with much authority by someone recognized wiser than oneself.
I enjoy sharing recipes on my website and social media articles. In 2024, I am pleased to note that I shared some 4 dozen recipes with you. Some have been previously published in my various cookbooks; others are new. They ranged from appetizers and beverages to entrees and desserts. Here is the full list of my recipes shared via my website & social media in 2024.
1970s Cheese Fondue
“The biggest seller is cookbooks and the second is diet books – how not to eat what you’ve just learned how to cook.”
“Men fight for liberty and win it with hard knocks. Their children, brought up easy, let it slip away again, poor fools. And their grandchildren are once more slaves.”
“It is no use doing what you like; you have got to like what you do.”
