Lobster Bisque

Funny how all my neighbors were busting out their grills earlier this week and then today we awoke to icy windows and slick sidewalks. After a chilly and slippery morning run, I seemed to get soup on the brain. And not just any soup, but a bisque and not just any bisque – but LOBSTER BISQUE.

A bowl of steamy, decadent lobster bisque, thick slice of bread from a crusty baguette, accompanied with a peppery arugula salad adorned with shaved Parmesan and a squeeze of lemon – OHHHH BABY. Now this is a meal worthy of this dark, cozy March hump day.



Lobster Bisque


The breakdown:


• Four Servings


• Total cooking Time: 90 minutes


• Cost: About $20, with frozen on-sale lobster tails


Ingredients:


• 1 medium onion, diced


• 3 stalks celery, diced


• 1 medium shallot, diced


• 4 cloves garlic, minced


• 3 tbsp butter


• 3 tbsp tomato paste


• 4 cups lobster stock*


• 1.5 cups heavy whipping cream (I’ve made this with fat free half and half and it was still really good)


• 2 grilled lobster tails, roughly chopped


• 2 tsp chopped fresh tarragon


Directions:


• Pre-heat broiler


• Slice the tails length-wise and pull out the lobster tail meat. Place meat on non-stick sprayed cookie sheet. Broil for 4 min, then flip and broil another 4 min. (this step can be done the day before)


• Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat. Add the onion, celery and shallot and cook for about 5 minutes, until the onion becomes translucent


• Add the garlic and cook another 3 minutes.


• Add the tomato paste and stir to mix it in.


• Add the lobster stock. (see below to make stock)


• Blend with an immersion blender, or in a regular blender or food processor, until smooth.


• If making the soup ahead of time, stop here and refrigerate it, then reheat before continuing.


• Add the cream (or fat free half and half) and lobster tail meat and bring nearly to a boil over medium-high heat.


• Season to taste with salt and pepper.


• Add tarragon and serve in heated bowls.



*Lobster Stock:


Ingredients:


• 2 lobster tail shells


• 12 peppercorns


• Couple of bay leaves


• Handful of parsley steps


• Onion


• 3 celery stalks


• 1 carrot


Directions:


• Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees


• Using the 2 lobster tail shells and place on cookie sheet. Place in oven for 15 min.


• While the shells are roasting, roughly chop an onion, a few stalks of celery, and a carrot


• Add the roasted shells, vegetables, a dozen peppercorns, a couple bay leaves, and some parsley stems to a saucepan and cover with water.


• Bring to a boil and then turn down to medium. Simmer for about 30 minutes.


• Strain everything out of the liquid, then bring back to a boil, and reduce the stock down to about 2/3 of its original volume.