Best Lobster Bisque Recipe Recipe

Ingredients

Lobster Stock

• 4 to 5 lobster tails (4-6 ounces each) or 20 ounces, or 1.25 lbs (or sub 1 lb lobster meat)
• 5 cups water
• 1 teaspoon salt

Bisque Base

• 2 tablespoons olive oil or ghee
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 fat garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• 2 stalks celery, diced (1 cup)
• 0.5 teaspoon dried thyme, or 1 teaspoon fresh
• 1 medium yam, peeled, diced (2 cups) or sub carrots
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 0.5 teaspoon sweet paprika
• 1 bay leaf
• 0.5 cup sherry wine or white wine (do not use sherry vinegar)
• 3 cups lobster stock (you'll make this with the shells from above)
• 1 cup heavy cream (or sub coconut milk)

Finishing

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 garlic cloves, smashed
• optional fish sauce, salt, pepper, cayenne

Instructions

Prepare the Lobster Stock

1. Place lobster tails in a stockpot with 5 cups water and 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer 5-7 minutes, or until tails turn vibrant red and begin to curl.
2. Using tongs, place tails in bowl to cool, reserving the hot lobster water in the pot.
3. Remove lobster meat from the tails. Chop the lobster meat, keeping a few pretty red pieces larger, for garnishing. Keep any red roe, as it adds flavor and color. Refrigerate.
4. Return the shells and any of their juices, back into the lobster water. Simmer 20 mins while you prepare the rest of the soup.

Build the Bisque

1. In a heavy-bottomed pot or dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and saute 3-4 minutes until fragrant.
2. Add garlic, celery, and thyme, and lower heat to medium, saute 5 more minutes until onions are softened.
3. Add diced yam, cook 4 minutes, add tomato paste, paprika and bay leaf. Stir 1-2 minutes.
4. Deglaze with the sherry wine, scraping up any browned bits, and cook this off, or if comfortable, carefully tilt the pot to let it ignite (stand back) and burn off the alcohol.
5. You should have about 3 cups of stock (add water to make it 3 cups if necessary). Pour 3 cups into the pot with the veggies.
6. Bring to a simmer on med-low, covered, and cook until the yams and celery are tender, about 15 minutes. Remove the bay leaf.

Blend and Finish

1. Add 1/4 of the chopped lobster to this (use the smallest pieces) and blend all until smooth and creamy (either using an immersion blender or blend in batches using a regular blender—remember, if hot, hold the lid down tight with a towel).
2. Pour this back into the Dutch oven. Add the cream. Taste. Season with salt and pepper. To add more depth, a tiny splash of fish sauce may help. If you like a little pep, a pinch or two of cayenne is nice.
3. In a medium skillet, swirl the butter and smashed garlic cloves over medium-high heat until nutty and fragrant. Add the remaining lobster, and saute 1-2 minutes.
4. Set aside a few of the biggest, prettiest pieces for garnish and add the remaining smaller pieces to the soup.
5. Let simmer on low heat for a few more minutes. It will taste more 'lobstery' as the flavors have a chance to meld. Sometimes let this sit on the stove for 1/2 hour, then gently reheat before serving.
6. Garnish the top with the bigger pieces of lobster and fresh tarragon leaves (or chives and parsley).
7. Serve with warm garlic bread.

Notes

• For extra decadence, saute the lobster in browned butter infused with garlic.
• This bisque tastes even better the next day when flavors have melded together.
• You can substitute some of the heavy cream with coconut milk for a lighter version.