Dumoulin tackles Lobster Thermidor in 'Skates & Plates'

As a Maine native, Brian Dumoulin knows his way around a lobster but on the latest episode on "Skates & Plates," the Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman took his crustacean game to the next level.

Dumoulin teamed up with chef Ludo Lefebvre to prepare Lobster Thermidor, a creamy dish baked in a lobster shell.

Lefebvre, who owns two Los Angeles restaurants, Trois Mec and Petit Trois, made his second appearance on the series, which pairs chefs with NHL players for a cooking tutorial. He previously made Steak Diane with Nashville Predators forward Nick Bonino.

"I'm a big fan of you," Dumoulin told Lefebvre in the episode. "Actually the last few years we've gone to L.A., we usually stay in Santa Monica and we've taken the 4 o'clock, 5 o'clock drive to your restaurant and I've eaten there twice and it was memorable both times I've eaten there."

Lefebvre walked Dumoulin through all the steps and was impressed at the result.

"It's not easy to do. It was a lot to do and you handled that very well," Lefebrve told Dumoulin once they each pulled their finished products out of the oven.

"It's delicious," Dumoulin said. "It's a little on the spicy side, but it's perfect."

Lobster Thermidor

Yield: 4 servings (1 lobster each serving)

Ingredients

4 lobsters, meat and bodies

4 tablespoons panko bread crumbs

Parmesan, grated

Chervil, finely chopped

Lemon zest, grated

Mornay Sauce

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 quart whole milk

1/4 cup Parmesan Reggiano cheese, grated

1 cup Swiss gruyere cheese, grated

1 1/8 teaspoons Kosher salt

1 1/2 teaspoons white pepper

Thermidor Sauce

1 quart Mornay Sauce

1/2 cup heavy cream

2 shallots, chopped fine

3 garlic cloves, chopped fine

1 cup white wine

12 oz crimini mushrooms, quartered

2 teaspoons ground nutmeg

Ground black pepper, to taste

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon ground mustard

Directions

Mornay sauce:

• Make a blond roux with butter and flour and cook with medium heat. Let it rest to slightly cool.

• Scald milk with salt and white pepper.

• Temper milk into roux mixture with a whisk slowly until the roux is a smooth before add the rest of your milk.

• Cook for 45 minintes and burr mix with an immersion blender until smooth again to tighten the sauce.

• Add the cheese with a whisk and bring to a boil while whisking for 5 minutes.

• Strain sauce into a pan and burr mix again. Check for seasoning while hot and cool off in the refrigerator.

Thermidor sauce:

• Combine the mornay and cream, heat gently and stir to combine. Set aside and keep warm.

• Sweat the shallots and garlic in butter. Add the white wine and reduce by 75%.

• Add the mushrooms, nutmeg, black pepper, cayenne, and mustard and cook until the mushrooms begin to soften.

• Add the mornay mixture to the shallot/wine mixture and season to taste with salt and black pepper.

Lobster Meat:

• Bring a pot of salted water to a boil.

• Add the lobsters and cook at a full boil for 5 minutes. Place directly into an ice bath.

• Once the lobsters are cooled cut them in half lengthwise, remove and crack the claws. Remove and clean the meat from bodies and claws and cut into medium diced chunks.

• Scrape the bodies clean and reserve for plating.

Lobster Thermidor:

• Thoroughly, combine the lobster meat and thermidor sauce in a bowl.

• Spoon sauced lobster meat into the cleaned lobster shells.

• Sprinkle bread crumbs and parmesan liberally on the lobster meat.

• Return to oven and broil until the cheese is golden brown.

• Garnish with finely chopped chervil and lemon zest.