Lobster & Crab Bisque Recipe

Cook and Reserve Lobster

If using live lobster, bring a large pot of salted water to a rapid boil. Add lobster (about 1.5–2 lb) and cook for 8–10 minutes until shell turns bright red. Remove lobster and cool slightly. Reserve the shells and remove meat from tails and claws. Chop lobster meat into ~1/2-inch pieces and refrigerate 1 cup for the bisque; reserve any extra meat for garnish.

Pick through lump crabmeat to remove cartilage and shell fragments, set aside refrigerated until ready to fold into the finished bisque.

Brown Shells and Aromatics

In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, melt 2 tbs butter. Add smashed lobster shells and cook, stirring, until fragrant and starting to brown, about 5–7 minutes. Add the diced carrot, celery, and half the minced shallots (reserve remaining shallot for later) and continue to cook 4–5 minutes until softened.

Stir in tomato paste and cook 2 minutes to caramelize. Pour in the dry white wine and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom. Reduce wine by half, about 3–4 minutes.

Add fish or low-sodium chicken stock, bay leaf, and thyme. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low, and gently simmer 25 minutes to extract flavor from shells. Taste and adjust seasoning lightly with salt and pepper. Strain the stock through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean pot, pressing on solids to extract liquid. Discard solids and return strained stock to the pot. (You should have roughly 3–4 cups of shell-infused stock.)

Roux and Aromatics

In a separate large pot over medium heat, melt the remaining 2 tbs butter. Add the remaining minced shallots and sauté 2 minutes until softened. Stir in garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant. Sprinkle in the all-purpose flour and cook, stirring constantly, 2–3 minutes to form a blond roux (do not let it brown too much).

Slowly whisk in about 1 cup of the warm shell-infused stock to the roux to create a smooth slurry. Once smooth, gradually whisk in the remaining stock until fully incorporated and there are no lumps.

Add the whole milk and bring mixture to a gentle simmer, whisking occasionally. Stir in paprika, bay leaf (if you prefer, remove the bay leaf used earlier and add a fresh one), and simmer 8–10 minutes to thicken slightly.

Purée and Enrich

Remove and discard bay leaf and thyme sprigs. Using an immersion blender, carefully purée the bisque base directly in the pot until smooth and velvety. Alternatively, cool slightly and purée in batches in a blender, then return to the pot.

Stir in the heavy cream and whole milk (if you prefer a richer bisque, use more heavy cream and less milk). Heat gently—do not boil—until warmed through.

Taste and season with salt, freshly ground black pepper, and lemon juice to brighten flavors. If using, stir in 2 tbs dry sherry off heat.

Add the reserved chopped lobster meat to the pot to warm through for 1–2 minutes (do not overcook). Gently fold in the lump crabmeat to heat through, keeping some larger lumps intact for texture.

If the bisque is thinner than desired, simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until it reaches the preferred consistency (5–10 minutes). If too thick, whisk in a splash of extra stock or milk.

Ladle the bisque into warmed bowls. Garnish each bowl with a drizzle or small swirl of crème fraîche or extra heavy cream, a sprinkle of snipped fresh chives, a pinch of paprika, and a few toasted brioche croutons or crumbled brioche on top. Serve immediately with lemon wedges on the side.