Lobster Bisque Recipe
the best of the best, with butter, lemon, and a rich and creamy cup
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Ingredients
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Lobster & Shell Stock
Lobster Meat & Finish
Method
Lobster & Shell Stock
- 1
Prepare and cook lobsters
Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add live lobsters headfirst, cover, and cook 8–10 minutes until shells are bright red and meat is opaque. Remove lobsters to an ice bath to stop cooking. When cool enough to handle, pick meat from tails and claws, reserving 1 cup total of shelled meat for the bisque; reserve shells for stock. Roughly chop the meat and refrigerate. Keep shells.
- 2
Sear shells and aromatics
In a large heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, melt 2 tbs butter. Add lobster shells and cook, stirring occasionally, until shells darken and aroma intensifies, about 6–8 minutes. Add chopped carrot, celery, onion and smashed garlic and cook 6–8 minutes until vegetables soften and begin to brown.
- 3
Deglaze and simmer stock
Stir in tomato paste and cook 2 minutes. Pour in white wine and scrape up browned bits; reduce wine by half, about 3–4 minutes. Add cold water, bay leaf, peppercorns, thyme and 1.5 tsp kosher salt. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Partially cover and simmer for 30–40 minutes to extract flavor from shells.
- 4
Strain stock
Carefully strain stock through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean pot, pressing on solids to extract liquid. Discard solids. If necessary, skim fat from the top. You should have roughly 4–5 cups of shell stock; if more, reduce over medium heat to concentrate to about 4 cups (10–15 minutes). Keep stock hot and set aside.
Lobster Meat & Finish
- 5
- 6
Combine stock and puree
Gradually whisk 4 cups of the hot shell stock into the roux, about 1/2 cup at a time, whisking smooth before adding more. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook 5–8 minutes until slightly thickened. Transfer about half of the mixture (or up to 2 cups) to a blender with the reserved chopped lobster meat and blend until very smooth. Return puree to the pot and stir to combine.
- 7
Finish with cream and seasonings
Stir in heavy cream, dry sherry, paprika, cayenne, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Warm gently over low heat—do not boil—until the bisque is heated through and slightly thickened, about 4–6 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning. If the bisque is too thick, thin with up to 1/2 cup additional hot shell stock or water to reach desired cup-like consistency.
- 8