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Lobster bisque

Creamy french lobster soup perfect for the holidays, you can optionally replace the lobster with any other shellfish.

Served with crusty bread and butter.

50 minTotal time
16Steps
19Ingredients
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Ingredients for 2

  • 1 live lobster that weighs ~750 grams
  • 2 onions
  • 2 carrots
  • 1 shallot
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1 tbsp cognac
  • 3 tbsp concentrated tomato puree
  • 4 tomatoes
  • 3 tbsp flour
  • 1 cup dry white wine
  • 2 l fish stock
  • 1 bayleaf
  • 2 twigs of thyme
  • ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • olive oil, enough to coat the bottom of the pan
  • 2 tbsp butter

Side: Crusty bread and butter

  • ½ baguette
  • 1 tbsp butter

Instructions

  1. Finely dice the onions, carrots, shallots and garlic and set aside for later.

  2. Blanche the lobster in boiling water for 2 minutes, remove from the water and let it leak.

  3. Cut it down the middle and remove the meat from the shell, set the meat aside for later.

  4. Place a stockpot on medium high heat and heat up enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan, add the lobster shells and cook them until they are bright red.

  5. Remove the oil from the pan and discard it, add your butter to the shells.

  6. Add all diced vegetables and let it sauté for 2 minutes, add a dash of cognac and flambé, lower the heat to medium low.

  7. Roughly dice the tomatoes and add them together with the tomato puree, once again let it sauté for 2 minutes.

  8. Add the flour and give it all a stir, let it dry up in the pan.

  9. Deglaze the pan with the white wine and once the wine has dried up a bit add the fish stock.

  10. Tie up your herbs using kitchen twine and add them to your pot.

  11. Let it simmer on low heat for 30 minutes, while the soup is boiling take the lobster meat and dice it into bite-sized pieces.

  12. After the soup is done boiling run it through a fine sieve.

  13. Bring the strained soup back to a light boil and add the diced lobster pieces.

  14. About 8 minutes before serving, warm the baguette in a 350°F oven for 5 minutes, then slice it and set out the butter.

  15. Let the soup boil for 4 more minutes to heat up the lobster and serve, add pepper and salt to taste.

  16. Finish off in the plate with a bit of heavy cream and a sprinkle of chopped parsley.