Lobster Bisque: a fancier favorite

Lobster Bisque

Adapted from Cuisine at Home

Makes 6-7 cups; can easily be doubled

2 lobster tails (10 oz. each), split in half
4 cups water
1 Tablespoon sea or kosher salt
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 cups dry white wine
2 cups chicken stock

1 cup seafood stock

4 cloves of garlic, smashed and chopped
1/4 cup unsalted butter plus 1 Tablespoon
1 cup fennel, chopped
1/2 cup shallot, chopped
1 14oz can diced tomatoes
2 Tablespoons brandy
2 Tablespoons raw white rice
1 Tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
2 bay leaf
2 thyme sprig
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

First make sure that your lobster tails are completely thawed if you purchased frozen. Cut each tail in half with scissors. Devein the split tail if there is a vein. Steam the lobster tails, shell-side down in 4 cups salted water. This is where I went wrong. I just dumped a bunch of salt in there like I would if I was making pasta. Only use ½ tablespoon. I steamed my lobster in a steaming basket for 7 minutes. Reserve the water for the stock.

Once the lobsters are cooled remove the meat from the shell. Refrigerate the lobster meat until ready to serve. Sauté the crushed lobster shells in 2 Tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat for five minutes. Deglaze the pan with the white wine, chicken stock and reserved lobster water from the steaming of the tails.  Simmer for 45 minutes. Strain out the shells and discard them.

While the stock is simmering chop the fennel and shallots and sauté in ¼ cup butter until fragrant.
Add the fennel, shallots, diced tomatoes, brandy, raw white rice, tomato paste, paprika, cayenne, bay leaf and thyme sprig to the soup. Simmer and additional 45 minutes and remove the bay leaf and thyme sprig. Remove from heat and blend the soup using either a blender or an immersion blender. I personally like to use my immersion blender for soups. You can make this portion of the soup earlier in the day and reheat it when you are ready to serve it. Stir in heavy cream and fresh lemon juice.

At the last minute, sauté the lobster meat in a tablespoon of butter and splash of lemon juice until warm. Place the lobster tail in a soup (bread) bowl and add a couple ladles full of soup

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