Lobster Bisque
Serves 8
Ingredients
Lobster
- 3 (1½-lbs each) lobsters
- 3 qts salted water
Stock
- 6 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 1 onion, halved
- 1 tbsp minced shallots
- 3 celery stalks, chopped
- aromatic scraps such as fennel tops & parsley stems (optional)
Roux
- 3 sticks butter
- 2-4 tbsp minced shallots
- 2½ - 3 cups flour
Cream Base
- 2 qts lobster stock
- 1 cup brandy
- 2 cups sherry
- 2 pinches of nutmeg
- 1½ tsp tomato paste
- 5 dashes Tabasco sauce
- 5 cups heavy cream
Garnish (optional)
- chopped fresh parsley
How-to
Boil & Shuck Lobsters
- Bring salted water to a boil in a large stockpot
- Add lobsters, cook 14-18 minutes, covered
- Remove lobsters from the pot and allow to cool 5 minutes before handling. Set cooking liquid aside and reserve
- Crack lobster over a shallow dish or saucepan to catch juices for later use. Remove legs, claws and tails, and extract meat. Set meat aside
Make Stock
- Add shells, and bodies (containing roe) to a heavy-bottomed stock pot, with 6 tbsp butter and mirepoix over medium heat. Take a large, heavy object like a meat mallet or flat-ended rolling pin to crush the shells in the pot. This will help release the best flavor from the shells
- Saute 5-10 minutes. Add the reserved boiling liquid to the pot, as well as any run-off juices from cracking the lobsters
- Bring to a boil, then reduce to a very low simmer and allow to cook, uncovered for a minimum of 45 minutes, and up to hours (as long as you can wait - more time = more flavor)
Make Roux
- Meanwhile, melt 3 sticks butter in medium sauté pan over medium heat
- Add shallots, and allow to cook in butter until soft, 1-2 minutes
- Add flour, and whisk. When the flour is incorporated, reduce heat to low, and cook 5-10 minutes, stirring or whisking, assuring that the roux does not reach any darker color than the initial blond color
Finish Stock & Add Roux
- Strain simmered stock through a fine mesh strainer into a medium-sized bowl. Press and crush shells to extract every last bit of flavor
- Whisk in tomato paste, brandy, sherry, and Tabasco, sauce. Add nutmeg and heavy cream. Bring back to low simmer
Add Roux & Finish Stock
- Return stock to stock pot, and bring back to simmer
- Slowly add 1½ cups of roux to stock, whisking vigorously to assure that there are no lumps. (The remaining roux can be refrigerated for later use in other recipes)
- Separate whole pieces of lobster tails, legs and claws for garnish, from less-attractive scraps and roe. Chop scraps and roe, and add into bisque
- Add 5 cups of heavy cream, stir to combine all ingredients
- Ladle and serve with pieces of lobster to and chopped fresh parsley