Lobster Thermidor & Beet Soup

When you going to cook something that takes a long time and will require your constant presence in the kitchen, it's best to start with some cheese and a decent wine supply to keep you company during the long hours you're about to put in. My cheese selection included aged Gouda, blue, monchego, and a soft creamy cheese to spread. Wine was Sauvignon Blanc from France.

Two firsts for this soup for me. First was making beet soup, never tried but glad I did. It's actually really easy, you just roast the beets in the oven for about an hour then put in with some chicken stock and blend it up. You end up with something similar to butternut squash soup but the beet may be better. Second first was using crème fraîche which is basically soured cream with butterfat. I blended it up with a bunch of watercress which is the green on top.

Beet Soup recipe

The lobster thermidor and twice baked don't disappoint. If anyone asks, the Thermidor part of the name is from the original recipe was conceived in honor of the play "Thermidor". The recipe lives on, and the play was forgotten. I love the end product of this recipe, but jeez, you have to use almost every dish in the kitchen to make it. Owell, that's what they're for I guess. The twice baked had some of the leftover thermidor sauce and crispy pancetta with cheese melted on top.

Lobster Thermidor Recipe

The lemon tart and crust were outside my norm as I usually do not bake. Both turned out great, thanks to avoiding scrambled eggs by about 10 seconds and the massive amount of butter required for both.