Lobster Bisque

Lobster Bisque is the second part of our Valentine's Day tradition.  The sweet chunks of lobster tail swimming in the rich broth paired with a crisp white wine make for a perfect second course, especially when the weather turns cold.  Start to finish it takes a few hours to make, but a lot of that time is downtime while the soup simmers on the stove, so it doesn't feel like a chore.

I use kitchen shears to cut the tails in half.  One cut along the back shell, one along the belly, and the third cut through the meat keeps it all intact without too much mess.  Once the meat is steamed, I use tongs to pull the steamer basket out, let the meat cool, and use my hands to gently separate the meat from the shells.  And save the liquid from the pot!

We are always surprised by how much flavor we get from sauteing and deglazing with wine, so be sure to give this step enough time to develop all the lobstery-goodness you're looking for.   We let the wine reduce until just a puddle was left before we added the stock.

We cheated a little here by using ketchup instead of tomato paste.  Once everything had simmered and we removed all the bay leaves, I used our immersion blender until the soup had a smooth glossy appearance.  The recipe calls for some cream, lemon juice, and salt to taste to finish the soup.  We always go a step further and throw in a splash of Worcestershire sauce and a few hits of Tabasco to really pull the whole thing together.

The final step is mostly for presentation, but it's also another opportunity to add a bit of flavor to the soup.  After you lightly saute the tails, deglaze the pan with a bit of brandy or cognac and pour the pan-sauce into the soup.  Since you'll be eating this with a spoon, be sure to cut the meat into bite-sized slices, and sprinkle a little paprika and fennel frond over the top for garnish.

(Cuisine at Home: Holiday Menus, pp 40-41.)

For the Stock:

• 2 Lobster Tails, halved
• 4 C Water
• 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 2 C White Wine
• 3 C Chicken Broth

1. Steam Lobster Tails in covered pot over 4 cups boiling Water until firm and opaque, about 5-7 minutes.
2. Remove from steamer basket and allow to cool. Reserve water in large measuring bowl.
3. Gently remove meat from tails and refrigerate.
4. Saute shells in Olive Oil over medium-high heat for 5 minutes, tossing occasionally.
5. Deglaze with Wine, and reduce until less than a cup remains, about 10-15 minutes.
6. Add Broth and reserved water to pot.  Bring to a boil then reduce heat to medium-low, simmering until reduced to about 6 cups, about 20-30 minutes.
7. Strain stock and set aside.

For the Bisque:

• 1 C Fennel, chopped
• 1/2 C Shallots, chopped
• 4 Tbsp Butter, unsalted
• 1 Tbsp Tomato Paste
• 1 C Tomato, peeled, seeded, and chopped
• 2 Tbsp Brandy or Cognac
• 2 Tbsp White Rice
• 1 tsp Paprika
• 1/4 tsp Cayenne
• 1 Bay Leaf
• 1 Thyme Sprig or 1 Tbsp Thyme
• 1/2 C Heavy Cream
• 1 tsp Lemon Juice
• Salt to taste
• 1 Tbsp Butter, unsalted
• Fennel Fronds, chopped

1. Saute Fennel and Shallots in Butter until soft, about 5 minutes.
2. Stir in Tomato Pasted and cook 1 minute.
3. Deglaze with Brandy, then add Rice, Paprika, Cayenne, Bay Leaf, Thyme, and reserved stock.  Simmer, partially covered, for 45 minutes.  Remove Bay Leaf and Thyme Sprig.
4. Puree soup, in batches if necessary, in blender, until smooth.  Return to pot and add Heavy Cream, Lemon Juice, and Salt to taste.  Keep warm over low heat.
5. In a small skillet, saute Lobster Tails in Butter over medium-high until lightly browned and warm.  Remove from skillet and slice into bite-sized pieces.
6. Ladle soup into shallow bowl, then add lobster pieces and garnish with Fennel Fronds.