Lobster Bisque Recipe

Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Plunge the live lobsters headfirst into the pot and cook for 8 minutes for 1.25–1.5 lb lobsters. Remove and cool until you can handle them. Reserve 1 cup of the boiling cooking liquid; set aside.

Remove lobster meat: twist off claws, knuckles and tail. Crack shells and extract meat. Reserve meat in the refrigerator (about 1 cup total). Set shells and heads aside for stock.

In a large stockpot over medium heat, melt 2 tbsp unsalted butter. Add the roughly chopped carrot, celery, quartered onion and smashed garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes.

Add lobster shells and heads to the pot with vegetables. Stir in 2 Tbsp tomato paste and cook 2–3 minutes to caramelize and deepen flavor.

Pour in 1 cup dry white wine to deglaze the pot; simmer 2 minutes to reduce slightly. Add 8 cups water (or the reserved 1 cup cooking liquid plus water to equal 8 cups), bay leaf, peppercorns and 1 tsp kosher salt. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat and gently simmer, partially covered, for 30–40 minutes.

Strain the stock through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean pot or bowl, pressing on shells and vegetables to extract liquid and flavor. Discard solids. You should have about 4–5 cups concentrated shell stock. Reserve 3 cups for the bisque and refrigerate any extra or freeze for another use.

Make the roux and aromatic base

In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, melt 3 tbsp unsalted butter over medium heat. Add the finely minced shallots and sweat gently until translucent and fragrant, about 3–4 minutes (do not brown). Sprinkle in 3 tbsp all-purpose flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 2–3 minutes to remove the raw flour taste and form a blond roux.

Gradually whisk in 3 cups warm lobster shell stock, a ladleful at a time, whisking thoroughly after each addition so the roux incorporates smoothly. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer; it will begin to thicken.

Stir in 1 cup heavy cream and 2 tbsp tomato concassé or crushed tomatoes (optional for color). Simmer gently for 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the bisque is silky and coats the back of a spoon.

Using an immersion blender (or transfer carefully to a blender in batches), puree the soup until very smooth. For an extra-silky texture, press the pureed bisque through a fine-mesh sieve or chinois into a clean pot. Return to low heat.

Add the reserved chopped lobster meat to the bisque to warm through for 1–2 minutes. Stir in 1 cup crème fraîche, and then taste and adjust seasoning with salt and freshly ground white pepper. Add 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice to brighten the flavors.

If the bisque is too thick, thin with up to 1/2 cup extra warm stock or cream to reach the desired spoonable consistency. Keep warm, but do not boil once the crème fraîche is added to avoid splitting.

Ladle the bisque into warmed bowls. Garnish each bowl with a small spoonful (about 1 tsp) of crème fraîche, a sprinkle of finely snipped fresh chives (about 1/2 tbsp per bowl), and a light drizzle (about 1/4 tsp) of smoked extra-virgin olive oil. Finish with a light dusting of white pepper if desired.