The Unofficial Downton Abbey Cookbook by Emily Ansara Baines Read Free Book Online Page B

water and place in an ice bath.
Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat, then form a roux by stirring in the flour. Add shallots and cook for 1 minute, then stir in the wine, milk, and heavy cream. Bring mixture to a boil, then lower to a simmer. Cook for 5 minutes or until the sauce is thick enough to thoroughly coat the back of a spoon. Season the sauce with salt and pepper. Do not be alarmed if this sauce is incredibly thick.
Remove sauce from heat and stir in the Dijon mustard and tarragon.
Free lobsters from ice bath and split each lobster in half. Remove the tail meat from the shells and gently crack the claws. Dice the tail meat, then fold into the sauce. Stir the 1 cup of grated cheese into the mixture.
Spoon mixture into lobster tails. Sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons of the cheese over the lobsters. Place the now-filled lobsters on a large baking sheet in preheated oven. Bake lobsters for 10–15 minutes or until their tops are golden brown.
Meanwhile, in a well-oiled pan, heat bacon until crispy, about 10 minutes. Add onions and sauté for another 5 minutes. Add the green beans and sauté for an additional 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then mix in garlic.
Remove bacon, onions, and green beans from heat. Place mixture on serving plates, then top with lobsters.
Suggested Pairings
    It was quite common for Lobster Thermidor to be served on a silver platter surrounded by Decadent Duchess Potatoes (see Chapter 6 ).

 

Lobster with Mornay Sauce

    Lobster with Mornay Sauce is a rich dish for the most discerning of dinner guests. No matter what the Dowager Countess’s mood may be, this dish would be sure to put a smile on her often-puckered face. The extravagance of this dish would render it appropriate for a celebration in honor of the Dowager Countess, perhaps after she wins the flower show, or maybe as a means of cheering her up after she lets Mr. Molesley’s flowers take the prize.
YIELDS 4 SERVINGS
    1 ⁄ 2 cup unsalted butter
    1 pound lobster meat, diced
    1 ⁄ 4 cup all-purpose flour
    1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
    1 1 ⁄ 2 cups heavy cream
    1 teaspoon kosher salt
    1 ⁄ 2 teaspoon white ground pepper
    2 teaspoons sugar
    1 ⁄ 2 cup freshly grated Gruyère cheese
    1 ⁄ 2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Melt the butter in a medium-large saucepan over medium heat. Mix in lobster meat, cooking until opaque. Remove lobster from saucepan and set aside.
Reduce heat to low. Sprinkle flour in pan. Cook and stir for 3–5 minutes, making sure not to boil. Slowly stir in chicken broth, heavy cream, salt, pepper, and sugar. Simmer 7–10 minutes or until sauce thickens.
Stir in lobster and Gruyère and Parmesan cheeses. Continue cooking for an additional 5–7 minutes.
Times Gone By
    Mornay sauce (simply a Béchamel sauce with cheese), while usually consisting of 1 part Gruyère and 1 part Parmesan cheeses, can also contain white Cheddar or even Emmental cheese. It would frequently be served on top of vegetables, though it can be served with lobster (such as in this dish), crab, or even shrimp. Or try this on asparagus!

 

Accolade-Winning Duck Confit

    This is a time-consuming dish for which Mrs. Patmore would need at least two days warning to properly prepare for. That said, this dish would win her and her bosses many accolades from visiting guests, such as Sir Anthony Strallen — if he could turn away from Lady Edith long enough to eat! Sadly, in the end Lady Edith does not receive nearly as many accolades as this dish.
YIELDS 4–6 SERVINGS
    3 tablespoons kosher salt
    6 cloves garlic, minced
    6 sprigs thyme
    6 bay leaves
    Coarsely ground black pepper
    4 duck legs with thighs
    4 duck wings, trimmed
    4 1 ⁄ 2 cups duck fat
Sprinkle 1 tablespoon salt on the bottom of a dish or glass container large enough to hold all pieces of duck in a single layer. Sprinkle half the garlic, thyme, and bay leaves over the salt. Place the duck, skin-side up, over the garlic and salt, then sprinkle with the