Lobster Thermidor

Ingredients

Live lobster.
Court bouillon.
125ml fish stock.
125ml milk.
1 tblsp white wine.
1 tblsp chervil, finely chopped.
1 tblsp tarragon, finely chopped.
1 tsp Dijon mustard.
45g butter.
45g flour.
35g parmesan cheese, finely grated.

Method

Keep the lobster in the freezer for one hour before cooking.
Bring a large pot of court bouillon to the boil.
Plunge lobster into boiling water.
Cooking time: 4 min for the first 450g weight, and an additional 2 ½ min for each further 450g.
Plunge into iced water immediately after cooking.
Allow to cool, then cut lengthways and remove meat.
Set aside each half of the tail for serving.
Dice meat into ½ inch square pieces, and set aside.
Combine fish stock, white wine, chervil and tarragon and reduce by ½ over low heat.
Allow stock mixture to cool and combine with milk.
In a heavy based saucepan over low heat, melt butter and stir in flour and mustard to make roux.
Cook for 1 minute stirring continuously, without allowing to brown.
Remove from heat.
Slowly add stock and milk mixture, stirring continuously.
Return to heat, bring to the boil, then reduce heat and simmer until thick.
Stir in ½ the parmesan cheese, season well, and set aside.
Melt a touch of butter in a frypan and sauté the lobster meat, for 1 – 2 minutes, lightly browned.
In each lobster tail piece, drizzle some sauce, fill with sautéed lobster, and top with further sauce, then grated parmesan.
Cook under salamander until lightly browned.