Lobster Bisque

inAmerican Recipes, Appetizer Recipes, Fish & Seafood Recipes, French Recipes, Holiday & Dinner Party Recipes, Recipes, Soup & Stew Recipes
  • YIELDS | 4 SERVINGS
  • PREP TIME | 15 MINS
  • COOK TIME | 40 MINS

This is the quintessential lobster bisque soup you will find in most fine dining establishments but it’s not as fussy to make as it sounds. It’s super simple to make and you can easily sub seafood stock for lobster stock. When we have lobster for a holiday meal, I save the shells, the little legs and tails and freeze to make lobster stock. Don’t have lobster meat or shells on hand? Consider making the same recipe using shrimp and shrimp shells.

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 1 cup yellow onions, chopped
  • 1 medium carrot, chopped
  • 1 medium stalk celery, chopped
  • 2-3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 3 tablespoons flour
  • 2 cups seafood or lobster stock
  • 1 cup dry white wine
  • 1/4 cup cognac, brandy, or sherry
  • 12-16 ounces lobster meat, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 sprig fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne or more to taste
  • 1/2-3/4 cup heavy cream
  • Salt and freshly-ground black pepper
  • 1-2 sprigs flat leaf parsley, chopped for garnish, optional

Instructions

  1. In a large pot, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the onions, carrots, celery, garlic and tomato paste, and sauté for 5-7 minutes or until the onions are cooked and translucent.
  2. Sprinkle flour over the vegetables and mix well and cook for 1 minute.
  3. Add the seafood stock, white wine, cognac, lobster meat, paprika, bay leaf, thyme, nutmeg, cayenne, and stir to combine.
  4. Simmer for 25-30 minutes over medium-low heat, be sure to stir a several times to prevent the bottom from burning.
  5. Remove the bay leaf and sprig of thyme.
  6. Remove a couple of small pieces of lobster, chop and set aside for garnish, optional.
  7. Pour in the heavy cream, season to taste with salt and pepper and stir.
  8. Purée the soup in the pot using an immersion blender or pour, in batches, in to an high speed blender. Blend for 20-30 seconds and until smooth.
  9. Pour into bowls and garnish with reserved, chopped lobster and parsley (optional).