I Mentioned the Bisque...

I am very proud to say that the Recipe Friday icon was created from scratch (no pun intended... I hate puns) by me. I hate pink but because they were on sale, my actual mixing bowls are pink so why not? Anyway, this week I have hand picked an awesome recipe for lobster bisque which I tried and loved [it's been modified from this recipe]. This is saying a lot because I am excessively picky. Enjoy!

Lobster Bisque:
Printable recipe

Ingredients:

• 10-14 oz. raw lobster tail / claws
• 7 scallions
• 1 onion
• 1 carrot
• 1/2 c. butter
• 4 c. chicken stock
• 4 parsley sprigs
• 1 bay leaf
• 4 black peppercorns
• 2 1/2 c. milk
• 1/3 c. all-purpose flour
• 8oz. tomato paste
• 1/2 c. sherry
• 1/2 c. heavy cream
• A pinch nutmeg
• Salt and pepper

1) Cut the lobster tail in half, lengthwise, keeping it in its shell.
2) Chop the scallions, onion, and carrot. In a large pan, melt half the butter, and add the scallions and onion. Cook for five minutes or until soft.
3) Add the carrot and cook an additional two minutes.
4) Add the water, lobster tail halves, fish stock, parsley, bay leaf, and peppercorns.
5) Bring to a boil before reducing the heat to simmer for about 20 minutes.
6) Remove the lobster tails from the stock. After the tails have cooled, separate the meat from the shells and set it aside.
7) Allow the stock to continue simmering for an additional 15 minutes; then strain it through a sieve lined with two layers of dampened cheesecloth. Use a rubber spatula to push the stock through the sieve.
8) While the stock is simmering, chop the lobster meat into small chunks. After straining the stock, puree about half of it in a blender with one-quarter cup of stock and blend until smooth. Set the other half aside.
9) Mix the flour and remaining butter into a paste. Place the flour paste into a large pot and mix in the pureed lobster, tomato paste, sherry, cream, nutmeg, and salt and pepper to taste.
10) Add the remaining stock to this mixture.

11) Cook on high heat until the soup boils and thickens, stirring continuously. [May be lumpy until it reaches a boil.] Reduce the heat and simmer gently for another five minutes.
12) Add the remaining lobster chunks before serving. 


Buon appetito!