Thermidor Sauce For Fish Food

LOBSTER THERMIDOR

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and set aside.
• Bring a pot of salted water containing the lemons, quartered onion, and bouquet garni to a boil. Add the lobsters and cook until red and firm, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer the lobsters to an ice bath to stop the cooking process.
• When the lobsters are cool enough to handle, cut in half lengthwise with a heavy sharp knife and carefully extract the tail meat. Remove the large claws from the body and gently crack with the back of a heavy knife to extract the meat. Gently pull the front legs from the shell and discard. Dice the tail meat and claw meat and set aside.
• Place the halved lobster shells on a baking sheet, cut sides down, and roast until dry, 5 to 6 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheet.
• Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallots and garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the flour and whisk to combine. Cook, stirring constantly with a heavy wooden spoon to make a light roux, about 2 minutes. Add the cognac and cook, stirring, for 10 seconds. Add the milk slowly, stirring constantly to incorporate. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, 2 to 3 minutes. Slowly add the cream, stirring constantly, until all is incorporated. Cook, stirring, over medium heat for 1 minute. (The mixture will be very thick.) Add the salt and pepper and stir well.
• Remove from the heat and stir in 1/2 cup of the cheese, the mustard, tarragon, and parsley. Fold in the lobster meat. Divide the mixture among the lobster shells and place stuffed side up on a clean baking sheet. Sprinkle the top of each lobster with a portion of the remaining cheese and broil until the top is golden brown, 5 minutes.
• Place 1 lobster half on each of 4 large plates, garnish with additional parsley, and serve immediately.
• Place the bay leaf, thyme, parsley sprigs, and peppercorns in the center of a 6-inch square piece of cheesecloth or a large paper coffee filter. Draw up the sides to form a pouch and tie with kitchen twine or unflavored dental floss.

SOLE THERMIDOR

Steps:

• Brush fillets with melted butter; sprinkle with seasoned salt and pepper. Starting with a short side, roll up. Place seam side down in a greased 9-in. square baking pan. Pour 1/2 cup milk over fillets. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork., Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, melt butter. Stir in flour until smooth; gradually add remaining milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1 minute or until thickened. Reduce heat; stir in the cheese, sherry and tarragon., Drain pan juices from fish, reserving 1/4 cup; stir into cheese mixture. Pour over fish; sprinkle with paprika. Broil 4 in. from the heat for 3-4 minutes or until lightly browned.

SEAFOOD THERMIDOR

Steps:

• In 1/4 stick of butter saute the onion (or scallions), onion, green pepper, and mushrooms.
• Season 1 cup of cream (or clam juice) with thyme, paprika, pepper, and dill.
• Add seasoned cream into sauteed mixture.
• Add 3/4 roll of crushed ritz crackers to thicken.
• Add 1 pound of lobster, shrimp, crab meat, and/or scallops
• Spread mixture in a small low baking pan.
• In a small sauce pan melt 1/2 stick of butter and add 1/2 roll of crushed ritz crackers.
• Top thermidor with cracker mixture.
• Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes.
• Serve hot with lemon wedges.

FISH FILLET THERMIDOR

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350.
• Split fillets lenghtwise and roll up, fastening with a toothpick if necessary.
• Place in shallow 10x16" baking dish.
• Pour milk over fish.
• Add salt and pepper; bake 30 minutes.
• When done, pour off milk and add slowly to melted margarine into which the flour has been added.
• Add cheese and stir until melted.
• Add lemon juice and pour sauce over fillets.
• Brown quickly under broiler.
• Serves 3-4, depending on the size of the fillets.

LAURA'S SEAFOOD THERMIDOR

Steps:

• Preheat the oven's broiler and set the oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source.
• Melt 1/2 cup of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in the green onions and mushrooms, and cook until the mushrooms have softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the shrimp and walleye; cook and stir until the shrimp have begun to turn opaque, about 2 minutes. Add the lobster and crab, and cook a few minutes to heat.
• Stir in the sherry and white wine. Bring to a simmer, and cook for 2 minutes. Once the shrimp and walleye are no longer translucent in the center, stir in the cream of shrimp soup, half-and-half, 1 cup bread crumbs, and Cheddar cheese until the cheese has melted, and the mixture is bubbly. Pour into a casserole dish, and sprinkle evenly with 1/2 cup breadcrumbs and the Parmesan cheese. Dot with the pieces of cold butter.
• Cook under the preheated broiler until the butter has melted and the bread crumbs are golden brown.

SEAFOOD THERMIDOR

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, saute onion in 1 tablespoon butter until tender. Combine soup mix and flour; stir into onion until blended. Gradually whisk in milk. Stir in wine or broth and lemon juice. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1-2 minutes or until thickened. , Add cod; cook for 1-1/2 minutes. Stir in shrimp; cook 1 minute longer or until fish flakes easily with a fork and shrimp turn pink. Remove from the heat; stir in mozzarella cheese and parsley until cheese is melted. , Transfer to a 3-cup baking dish coated with cooking spray. Melt remaining butter; toss with bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle over seafood mixture. Broil 4-6 in. from the heat for 3 minutes or until topping is golden.

NEXT LEVEL LOBSTER THERMIDOR

Steps:

• Snap the claws and smaller legs away from each lobster. Cut the main section in half lengthways using a large chef's knife, and scoop the contents of the head cavities into a bowl, then remove the dark vein from the tail meat and discard. Remove the tail meat, chop into large chunks and put in another bowl. Lay the empty shells cut-side up on a baking tray and set aside.
• Crack the claws and knuckles, then pick out all the meat using a skewer or lobster pick. Roughly chop and add to the bowl with the tail meat. Put any shards of shell into the bowl with the head meat. Use a rolling pin to roll along the length of the small, spindly legs and push out the meat, then tip into the bowl with the claw and tail meat. Again, put any broken shells into the bowl with the head meat. The lobster can an be prepped up to a day before. Cover and chill the meat and broken shells until needed.
• To make the sauce, heat the butter in a large saucepan over a medium heat and cook the shallots for 5-6 mins until soft and golden. Add the broken shells and head meat, then turn up the heat and cook for 2 mins more. Splash in the wine or vermouth and bubble for 2 mins to reduce. Pour over the stock and cream, bring to the boil, then continue to cook for 10-12 mins until the mixture has reduced and thickened. Turn the heat off and leave to cool slightly, then pour into another saucepan through a fine mesh sieve, pressing the shells and meat against the mesh with the back of a spoon to extract all the sauce. Stir in the mustard and lemon juice, then taste for seasoning. The sauce can be made the day before, covered and kept chilled.
• Heat the grill to high. Spoon the claw and tail meat into the empty reserved shells. Reheat the sauce over a low heat until warmed through, if needed, then stir through the herbs. Spoon the sauce over the lobster meat in the shells, then sprinkle with the parmesan and put under the grill for 4-5 mins until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese lightly golden. Serve with chips or boiled small potatoes and a green salad.

LOBSTER WITH THERMIDOR BUTTER

Steps:

• First make the butter. Put the wine and shallot into a pan, then bring to the boil and simmer until nearly dry. Tip into a bowl to cool, mix all the ingredients together, roll into a log, using cling film or foil, then chill to harden. Can be frozen for up to 1 month.
• Snap away the claws from the lobster. Using a large chef's knife, cut the lobster in half and wash the head cavity under cold water, then dry with kitchen paper. Lay the lobsters, cut side up, on a baking tray. Crack the claws and remove the claw meat. Divide claw meat between the head cavities. This can be done the day before and the lobster kept in the fridge ready for grilling.
• Heat grill to high. Slice the butter into thin rounds and lay it along the lobsters so all the meat is covered. Grill for 5-8 mins until the butter is bubbling and starting to brown. Put the lobsters on plates, pouring any butter from the tray over them. Serve with new potatoes and some dressed salad leaves.

SCALLOP THERMIDOR

Steps:

• Heat a sauce pan to med high.
• Add olive oil to hot pan then sear scallops for 4 minutes on each side.
• Remove and keep warm.
• Saute onions and mushrooms on high heat, till browned and cooked though (keep heat on med-hi).
• Add garlic and saute for 30 more seconds.
• Add vermouth, stir to get all brown bits off bottom, reduce heat.
• When most of liquid has cooked off, add cream.
• Bring to a boil for 3 minutes.
• Turn off heat, leave pan on burner add cheese.
• When cheese is melted, stir, add salt and pepper to taste and serve over scallops.