NYE Lobster Thermidor!

Make the last meal of the year one of the best with this elegant Lobster Thermidor.

For the Lobster:

•  2 (1 1/2- to 1 3/4-pound) live lobsters 
• 1/2 cup olive oil

•  3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 
• 1/3 cup lobster stock 
• 2/3 cup milk
• Salt, to taste 
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste 
• 1 pinch ground nutmeg

For the Thermidor:

• 3/4 cup white wine
• 2 tablespoons dry sherry
• 2/3 cup lobster stock
• 1 shallot, finely chopped 
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
• 1/2 cup heavy cream 
• 1 large egg yolk

 Prepare the Lobster:

1. Gather the ingredients. Preheat the oven to 400 F. 
2. With a sharp chef's knife, split each live lobster in half lengthwise, starting with the head and working the knife back toward the tail. When you begin at the head end, the process kills the lobster instantly.
3. Brush the lobster with the olive oil and bake for 15 minutes. 
4. Remove the lobster from the oven and let it cool.

Make the Béchamel Sauce:

1. In a small skillet or saucepan, make a roux by melting the butter over medium heat and adding the flour, 1 spoonful at a time, mixing vigorously.
2. Continue cooking and whisking until the roux is blonde or caramel in color, about 3 to 4 minutes.
3. Add the stock and whisk well to combine.
4. Let the mixture come to a simmer, about 2 minutes, then slowly add the milk, whisking continuously.
5. After the mixture has simmered again—about 2 more minutes—add some salt and pepper to taste and then the nutmeg. Be mindful of not letting the béchamel boil. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Make the Lobster Thermidor:

1. With the help of a fork, remove the meat from all parts of the cooled lobster. Reserve the empty lobster shells (just the main body) for the dish.
2. Chop the lobster meat coarsely.
3. In a small frying pan over medium-high heat, add the wine, sherry, lobster stock, shallot, and tarragon. Boil it down until it is thick in consistency, almost like a glaze—about 10 minutes.
4. Add the béchamel sauce to the glaze, and stir well to combine.
5. In a separate bowl, mix the heavy cream with the egg yolk. 
6. Slowly add about 1/2 cup of the béchamel-glaze mixture into the egg yolk and cream, stirring constantly. (By tempering the cream-egg mixture, you won't get scrambled eggs in your sauce.)
7. Pour the egg mixture into the pan with the rest of the béchamel-glaze.
8. Bring the sauce to a simmer over medium heat, but don't let boil. Add the dry mustard and some salt to taste. 
9. Cook until the sauce is thickened—about 3 minutes— then remove from the heat.
10. Preheat the oven to 375 F. Add the lobster meat to the sauce and mix

Bake Lobster Thermidor:

1. Fill the empty lobster shells with the lobster Thermidor mixture, then place on a baking sheet (lined with parchment paper if you like) and bake for 5 to 8 minutes.
2. Sprinkle the top with a little paprika as a garnish. 
3. Enjoy!