Lobster Terminal by Chef Ivan | Photo © CiberCuba Cocina

Lobster Terminal (version of Lobster Thermidor)

Kitchen, Main dish

Preparation Time:

Note:

The lobster recipe we present is inspired by a famous dish of French origin, Lobster Thermidor. Chef Ivan reinterpreted this creation. To do this, he made a nod to the Cuban film "Lista de espera," in which the protagonists invent a recipe with lobsters while being left to their fate at a bus terminal. Lobster Thermidor was created in 1894 by Auguste Escoffier, a French cook and gastronomer who elevated the traditional cuisine of his country to a universally referenceable level. We know that cooking lobster is not an easy task in Cuba. Nonetheless, we have done it, as it is a nod to cinema and Cuban humor. It is also a tribute to a flagship product of our cuisine, the flavor of which many no longer remember.

Ingredients:

2 lobster tails
50 grams of butter
1 shallot (it is a bulb with a flavor between garlic and onion)
½ white onion
50 ml of white wine
1 bunch of parsley chopped very finely
50 grams of parmesan cheese
400 ml of béchamel sauce
50 grams of mozzarella cheese

For the Bechamel Sauce:

2 tablespoons of butter
2 tablespoons of wheat flour (all-purpose flour)
500 ml of milk
½ onion, uncut
2 cloves
Salt and black pepper to taste
Grated nutmeg to taste.

Instructions:

This recipe consists of 3 steps that are explained below.

Step 1: Blanch the lobster

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. When it is boiling, turn off the heat and add the lobster tails for 10 minutes.

After this time, take them out of the hot water, rinse them with cold water to stop the heat, and clean them. The most important thing is to remove the glass, a membrane that contains the waste of this crustacean. To open the shell, follow the instructions provided by the chef in the video.

Lobster tails / CiberCuba Cuisine

Step 2: Prepare the Bechamel Sauce:

In a saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. When it's melted and just before it starts to change color, add the flour. Stir with a wooden spoon to combine them. This step is known as "roux" and is essential for achieving a good béchamel.

Then add the milk gradually, stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Add grated nutmeg and ground pepper to taste. Keep cooking and continue stirring until it thickens to the desired consistency.

White pepper is preferred for béchamel, but Cubans tend to use black pepper for almost all our dishes, perhaps because it has a milder flavor.

Step 3: Prepare the Terminal Lobster:

In a pot, heat half of the butter over low heat. Before it starts to brown, add the shallot chopped into brunoise. When the shallot changes color and becomes transparent, incorporate the diced lobster.

Stir well so that all the ingredients are combined and increase the heat for a few minutes. Once the lobster pieces are golden brown, remove them from the pot and set them aside.

Put the pot back on the heat and add the rest of the butter. When it starts to heat up, add the onion cut into brunoise. When it starts to brown, add the wine, increase the heat, and let the alcohol reduce.

The reduction of wine and onion will reach a syrupy texture; at this point, add the reserved lobster, finely chopped parsley, and béchamel sauce. Stir to combine all the elements and cook over low heat for a few minutes.

Langosta Terminal by Chef Ivan / CiberCuba Kitchen

Serve the lobster in its own shell and accompany it with your choice of side dish. In this case, the chef proposes a delicious rice with vegetables.

Enjoy it! Bon appetit!!

Rations: