RCP: Lobster Bisque

I made this a few weeks ago for the first time, using a recipe from a cookbook at my sister's in Maine, titled "The Daily Soup Cookbook" by Leslie Kaul and Bob Spiegel - Published by Hyperion Press, New York. It was served at at dinner that Carl and Bev Eppig attended.

LOBSTER BISQUE

Soup.jpg

4 tablespoons shellfish butter or unsalted butter
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 medium white onions, chopped
2 leeks, rinsed well arid chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 fresh fennel bulb, chopped
2 teaspoons fennel seeds
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne, or to taste
1 (28-Ounce) can whole tomatoes, diced, with juice
1 bunch tarragon, stems tied together and leaves chopped
1 bunch fresh thyme, steins tied together and leaves chopped
1 cup dry vermouth
1 cup brandy
6 cups Basic Shellfish Stock (I used water from boiling lobsters and re-boiled shells after removing cooked meat)
2 cups heavy cream
1-1/2 pounds cooked lobster meat
4 Italian plum tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 teaspoon minced fresh garlic
2 cups oyster crackers (optional)

1. Melt the shellfish butter with the flour in a. large stockpot over medium heat with a wire whisk. Cook until the mix forms a thick, golden roux.
2. Add the onions, leeks, celery and fennel bulb and sweat for 4 minutes, until tender.
3. .Add the fennel seeds, bay leaves, salt, and cayenne and stir to coat the vegetables.
4. Add the canned tomatoes, tarragon and thyme and simmer for 5 minutes.
5. Add in the vermouth and simmer for 2 minutes.
6. Add in the brandy and simmer for 2 minutes.
7. Add the shellfish stock, bring the mixture to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
8. Reduce heat to low and add the heavy cream.
9. Remove the tarragon and thyme stems and bay leaves, puree about half of the soup in a blender or food processor, and return to the pan.
10. Add the lobster meat and simmer for 2 minutes to heat through.
11. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the chopped tomatoes, chopped tarragon, chopped thyme and garlic.
To serve, ladle the bisque into bowls and top with oyster crackers, if desired.

MAKES 12 CUPS
(Edit - added name of the cookbook)

Oh Howie.............that looks incredible.
Interesting that it has brandy and vermouth. Doesn't lobster bisque usually have sherry in it?

Oh Howie.............that looks incredible.
Interesting that it has brandy and vermouth. Doesn't lobster bisque usually have sherry in it?

Well, this was the first time I ever made it and I've never looked up other recipes, so I can't give you an answer.
The night before I made it, my sister and I cooked 5 lobsters. We ate two and used the meat from the other 3 for the bisque. We then boiled the shells from all 5 to make the broth. I reserved the claw meat for garnish.

We can vouch that it was delish. We even enjoyed the leftovers we brought home with us.

Carl

Oh Howie.............that looks incredible.
Interesting that it has brandy and vermouth. Doesn't lobster bisque usually have sherry in it?

Well, this was the first time I ever made it and I've never looked up other recipes, so I can't give you an answer.
The night before I made it, my sister and I cooked 5 lobsters. We ate two and used the meat from the other 3 for the bisque. We then boiled the shells from all 5 to make the broth. I reserved the claw meat for garnish.

Wow, it has the meat from three lobsters?? That is one meaty bisque. Now you've gone and given me a craving for it.

FYI - I just corrected a typo (amount of lobster meat) and added the title of the cookbook the recipe was from. "The Daily Soup Cookbook".

Wow, it has the meat from three lobsters?? That is one meaty bisque. Now you've gone and given me a craving for it.

Carrie, I don't know whether you are currently in NC or CA but I hope you have a $100 for the lobster meat if you are making this. I envy those people in Maine in season, but not when the north easter blows.

Actually, when I made it, I increased the batch by 50%, so the meat from two 1 1/2 pounders should be good for the posted recipe. Bob - when I bought the lobsters they were $4.99/pound. It's also a lot of fun to put the live lobsters on the floor and let the cats play with them

Actually, when I made it, I increased the batch by 50%, so the meat from two 1 1/2 pounders should be good for the posted recipe. Bob - when I bought the lobsters they were $4.99/pound. It's also a lot of fun to put the live lobsters on the floor and let the cats play with them

Howie, I hope you unleash their claws before you let the cats play with them.

Wow, it has the meat from three lobsters?? That is one meaty bisque. Now you've gone and given me a craving for it.

Carrie, I don't know whether you are currently in NC or CA but I hope you have a $100 for the lobster meat if you are making this. I envy those people in Maine in season, but not when the north easter blows.

I'm in NC until Nov. I just saw live Maine lobsters in our super-Walmart for less than $10 a lb but I can't remember the exact price. It struck me as very reasonable. We were just in New England, and the prices didn't seem to be much less there.

We were just in New England, and the prices didn't seem to be much less there.

A week ago we bought three 1 1/4 lb lobsters locally (20 miles from the coast) for $6.35 lb. The "chickens" were $5 something, and the "culls" were $4.35. We picked up and cooked a cull (missing a claw) to save the meat for a future dish with shrimp.