Need an impressive meal that doesn’t require any fancy chef tricks?
Try this decadent lobster bisque!
Its a bit of work, but it’s not hard and the payoff is a knockout.
Simply Recipes / Sally Vargas
It is light and luscious and doesnt spoil your appetite for the feast that follows.
It has a rich lobster flavor and a velvety, sumptuous texture.
Lobster bisque used to be fancy French restaurant fare, not typically under the purview of home cooks.
Simply Recipes / Sally Vargas
It was a recipe created to put lobster shells to good use.
The mixture is then flavored with sherry.
The lobster meat was reserved for dishes like lobster thermidornone were added to the bisque.
Simply Recipes / Sally Vargas
Whats a Bisque Anyway?
A bisque is an intensely flavored, smooth, and creamy soup.
Its not chunky and doesnt have large bits of meat or vegetables like chowder or other soups.
Simply Recipes / Sally Vargas
It is often associated with crustaceans like lobster, shrimp, crayfish, and crab.
Modern versions are made with vegetables like mushrooms, tomatoes, or red bell pepper.
You could buy a pre-cooked lobster and use fish stock or clam juice to flavor the bisque.
Simply Recipes / Sally Vargas
This is also a good option if you cant face cooking a live lobster.
Could you use frozen lobster tails?
You would also need to buy a lot of them (about 2 pounds), which gets pricey.
Simply Recipes / Sally Vargas
The best bang for your buck would be to buy a live lobster.
How to Serve Lobster Bisque
Open a bottle of bubbly.
You deserve to and the bisque pairs beautifully with it.
Simply Recipes / Sally Vargas
Chilledwhite winewould be good, too.
See recipe notes above for instructions on how to proceed.
Add the lobster, head first and cover the pot with a lid.
Simply Recipes / Sally Vargas
The lobster will not be fully submerged in the water.
When its done, the shell will be bright red.
You should be able to twist off a leg easily.
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With tongs, remove the lobster and set it on a rimmed baking sheet to cool.
Pour the lobster cooking water into a second pot and set it aside for when you make the stock.
For detailed instructions, check outthis post.
Simply Recipes / Sally Vargas
It will walk you through the process.
Transfer the lobster meat into a medium bowl.
If the lobster has roethe tiny red lobster eggs from a female lobsteradd it too.
Simply Recipes / Sally Vargas
Run your fingers through the smaller pieces of meat to find and remove any rogue shells.
Rinse off any tomalleythe green gunky stuff stuck to the meatunder cold running water.
Pat the meat dry with a paper towel.
Simply Recipes / Sally Vargas
Cut the large pieces of meat into smaller bite-sized pieces and transfer them to the bowl.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.
With your hands or kitchen shears, break or cut the shells into 2- to 3-inch pieces.
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These will be used to flavor the stock.
Heat the same stock pot you used to cook the lobster over medium heat and add the oil.
Stir in the onion, carrot, celery, thyme sprigs, and garlic.
Simply Recipes / Sally Vargas
Cook stirring often for 5 minutes, until the vegetables soften.
Stir in the tomato paste, cayenne pepper, and bay leaf.
Cook and stir for 2 minutes to concentrate the flavors.
Simply Recipes / Sally Vargas
Add 5 cups of the lobster cooking water and the reserved juices on the baking sheet.
Add the wine and the remaining 1 cup water.
Bring it to a boil then lower the heat to maintain a simmer.
Simply Recipes / Sally Vargas
Cover the pot with a lid and cook for 45 minutes.
Set a colander over a large bowl and strain the stock to remove the shells and aromatics.
In a small bowl, stir the butter and flour together until combined.
Add the sherry into the strained stock and bring it to a simmer over medium heat.
It should be the consistency of heavy cream.
Cook for 2 to 3 minutes for the flour to thicken the bisque.
The consistency should be light and creamy, not thick and heavy.
If the bisque thickens too much, add more lobster stock or water, a little at a time.
Add the cream and bring it to a simmer again.
Stir in the lobster meat and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until the lobster is heated through.
Stir in the lemon juice.
Taste and add more salt if youd like.
Ladle the bisque into bowls and serve warm.
Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 2 days in a lidded container.
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