Lobster thermidor

Serve this indulgent classic with a big green salad and plenty of crusty bread for mopping up that rich, creamy sauce.

30 MINUTES | SERVES 2 | A LITTLE EFFORT

butter 40g

plain flour 20g

whole milk 350ml

shallot 1 long, finely chopped

white wine 100ml

tarragon a handful of leaves

dijon mustard 1 tsp

parmesan 45g, finely grated, plus a little extra

smoked paprika ½ tsp, plus a sprinkle

cooked lobster 1 large

flat-leaf parsley a handful, chopped

lemon wedges to serve

1 Melt 20g of the butter in a pan. Once foaming, mix in the flour and cook for a few minutes. Gradually add the milk a splash at a time, whisking throughout, only adding more once it is fully incorporated. Season and simmer for 5 minutes, then remove from the heat.

2 Melt the remaining butter in a small frying pan and gently cook the shallot for 5 minutes until softened. Add the white wine and bubble for a few minutes before adding the tarragon, dijon, parmesan and paprika. Stir this into the white sauce you made and season.

3 Use a sharp knife to cut the lobster in half, splitting the head and tail down the middle. Use a teaspoon to remove all of the tail meat, and bash the claw to remove that meat too. Roughly chop the meat and mix it into the sauce.

4 Heat the grill to high. Put the empty lobster shells onto a baking tray and spoon the lobster meat back into the shell. Sprinkle over a little more parmesan and a pinch more paprika, and bubble under the grill for 4-5 minutes or until golden.

5 Sprinkle with parsley and serve with a green salad, lemon wedges and crusty bread.

PER SERVING 533 kcals | fat 31.6G saturates 19.1G | carbs 18.2G | sugars 10.5G fibre 1.1G | protein 35.6G | salt 2G