I recently snuck off without my kids to see The LEGO Batman Movie. I love Batman and I really enjoyed the last LEGO movie and it seemed like a great afternoon date idea. I was curious about how LEGO would pull off a Batman film but it was witty in all the right places, campy in all the right places, filled with LEGO’s and I really liked it!

The plot was actually more complex than I expected it to be. There was the story arc of Batman vs Joker and the rest of the rogues gallery but there was more to it than that. The film also centers on Batman learning to work with others and becoming less egotistical. When the film begins he is very arrogant and selfish, (a lot of the humor comes from the portrayal of him like this).  It was interesting because I didn’t expect the LEGO franchise to portray Batman so humorously narcissistic and self centered. Later in the film, Batman learns to accept others into his life (Robin), and work as part of a team (with Barbara and the others).

Let’s not forget about the food. Batman’s favorite dish is Lobster Thermidor. He has Alfred cook it for him everyday. This is meaningful not only because it perpetuates a joke that billionaire Bruce Wayne would eat lobster every day but he also forces his elderly butler to cook the dish for him every day. I decided that if elderly Alfred can whip this up everyday for Batman, then I can make it at least once for myself.

Lobster Thermidor is not generally served in restaurants any more because the ingredients are expensive and the dish is time consuming; this alludes to the fact that in this film, Batman is rich and he is tedious. Using this dish in the film also indicates how uncaring Batman is because he makes Alfred cook this for him repeatedly.  After Batman has become more accepting of the other people in his life some of his selfishness still remains in the fact that although he shares his Lobster Thermidor with everyone, he still has Alfred doing all the work.

To make Lobster Thermidor you obviously have to steam lobsters.  I couldn’t bring myself to steam live lobsters and was able to get a fishmonger to do it for me. If you have the guts to do it yourself  then by all means, but if you don’t I suggest asking your lobster supplier if they will do it for you. I had the good fortune to have mine steamed and the meat picked out for me. Bonus!

Once your lobsters have been steamed and picked out, the next step is to start the long process of making the lovely sauce for this dish. I used almost every pot I own for this part. Once all the steps have been completed you can assemble the dish by filling the shells with the yummy mixture of sauce and lobster, sprinkle with cheese and breadcrumbs, and broil.

After spending so much time and making such a mess in my kitchen with this dish I totally understand the meaning of Lobster Thermidor in terms of it being labour intensive and costly. A perfect metaphor for Batman in this film. Another point is that the dish, like Batman is inherently good. I couldn’t make this everyday and I would never make my elderly butler (if I had one), do it either, however it is so good and decadent that I might make it again.

Lobster Thermidor

Part 1.

2 1-1.5 pound lobsters

Part 2.

1/4 pound mushrooms sliced

1Tb Butter

1/2 tsp. Lemon juice

1/8 tsp. salt

Part 3.

3 Tb. Butter

3 Tb. Flour

1/2 cup cream

Part 4.

2 Egg yolks

1 tsp. Dry Mustard

1/4 cup Cream

2 Tb. Sherry

pinch cayenne pepper

Part 5.

4-5 Tb. Cream

Part 6.

2 Tb. Butter

2Tb. Sherry

1/4 tsp.  black pepper

1/8 tsp. salt

Part 7.

1/4 cup grated Parmesan Cheese

1/4 cup Panko Bread Crumbs

1. Boil lobsters. Let cool. Split them in half, lengthwise, making sure to keep the shell halves intact. Crack claws and remove meat, remove meat from tail and discard any remaining lobster innards. Cut all meat in 1/4 inch pieces, set aside.
2. Place all of the items from Part 2. in a sauce pot with a lid and let stew for 10 minutes over low to medium low heat.
3. Remove mushrooms but leave the liquid in the pot.  Melt butter from Part 3.  in the same pot and add flour until foamy. Remove from heat and whisk in cream. Replace on heat and cook until it starts to thicken. Set aside.
4. In a separate saucepan mix ingredients of Part 4 together and whisk over a low heat until thickened. Gradually add this mixture to the other sauce mixture and set aside.
5. Set a skillet over medium heat with the butter from Part 6. When foam starts to subside, add the lobster meat and stir slowly for 5 minutes until it turns a rosy color.  Add the salt, pepper and sherry and then boil for 1 minute.
6. Thin out the sauce mixture with the cream from Part 5. Add half the sauce mixture to the lobster mixture and add back in the mushrooms.
7. Arrange the split lobster shells in a roasting pan and heap the mixture into the shells. Cover with remaining sauce. Mix Part 7 ingredients together and sprinkle over lobsters. Put a pat of butter on each half.
8. Place in a 425 degree oven for 10-15 minutes until bubbly and sauce has browned. Serve immediately.