Lobster Savannah

The signature dish of Boston's Locke-Ober: lobster meat in a creamy sherry sauce with mushrooms and green pepper, piled back into the shell under Parmesan and baked until golden. Serves 2.

Low-carbHigh-proteinNo added sugar

Contains: milk, shellfish, wheat. Based on the ingredients as written; check package labels, which can change.

A lobster shell filled with golden baked lobster Savannah with mushrooms and green pepper, a lemon wedge on the plate
  • Prep 30 min
  • Cook 15 min
  • Total 45 min
  • Yield 2 servings

Updated

Jump to: Ingredients | Instructions | Nutrition | Tips | Questions | Print recipe

For well over a century, Locke-Ober was Boston's grandest restaurant, a French-style dining room near Downtown Crossing where politicians, bankers and Harvard men made deals over steak and lobster. It opened around 1875 and closed in 2012, and its most famous dish was Lobster Savannah.

The lobster is cooked, the meat is folded into a rich sherry cream sauce with mushrooms and green pepper, and it all goes back into the shell under a blanket of Parmesan to bake until bubbling. It is a special-occasion dish, and well worth it.

Ingredients

Lobster

  • 2 cooked lobsters, about 1 1/2 pounds each

Sauce

  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 cup sliced mushrooms
  • 1/2 green bell pepper, finely diced
  • 2 tablespoons diced pimientos
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup half-and-half
  • 2 tablespoons dry sherry
  • 1/4 teaspoon paprika
  • Salt and black pepper, to taste

Topping

  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 tablespoons dry bread crumbs
  • Lemon wedges, for serving

Instructions

  1. Prepare the lobsters. Heat the oven to 400°F. With a heavy knife, split each lobster in half lengthwise. Remove the tail and claw meat, cut it into bite-size pieces and keep the shells for filling; discard the stomach sac.
  2. Cook the vegetables. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and bell pepper and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the pimientos.
  3. Make the sauce. Sprinkle in the flour and stir for 1 minute. Whisk in the half-and-half and simmer, stirring, until thick and smooth. Stir in the sherry and paprika and season with salt and pepper.
  4. Fill the shells. Fold the lobster meat into the sauce and spoon it into the four shell halves on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with the Parmesan and bread crumbs.
  5. Bake. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, until bubbling and golden on top. Serve with lemon wedges.

Nutrition per serving (estimated)

590Calories
21 gCarbohydrates
2 gFiber
20 gNet carbs
40 gProtein
37 gFat

Estimated per serving, based on 2 servings, using USDA FoodData Central values for each ingredient. Net carbs are carbohydrates minus fiber. Optional ingredients, garnishes and anything served on the side are not included. Brands and portion sizes change the numbers.

Low-carbHigh-proteinNo added sugar

Tips

  • Buy the lobsters already steamed at a good fish counter to save time, or boil them yourself 10 to 12 minutes.
  • No shells? Bake the filling in buttered ramekins or a small gratin dish instead.
  • The sauce can be made a few hours ahead; reheat it gently before folding in the lobster.

Printable: safe cooking temperatures chart (PDF).

Questions about this recipe

What is Lobster Savannah?
A baked lobster dish made famous by Locke-Ober, the landmark Boston restaurant: lobster meat in a sherry cream sauce with mushrooms and green pepper, returned to the shell, topped with cheese and baked.
Is Locke-Ober still open?
No. Locke-Ober opened around 1875 and closed in 2012, but its Lobster Savannah is still made at home and at a few Boston steakhouses.

Serve it with

Build the whole dinner: sides, sauce and dessert ›

Pairs with: a cold lager, or an off-dry Riesling. Wine pairing guide

Another baked lobster: Baked Stuffed Lobster.

Part of our famous hotel and restaurant recipes, from Boston's Parker House and Locke-Ober to Antoine's in New Orleans.

Another classic lobster dish: Lobster Newburg (Delmonico's, in sherry cream over toast).

More seafood recipes

All seafood recipes | All recipes | Cooking guide and safe temperatures