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.

Mussels with Smoked Sausage

For me, this is a perfect dish: it's fast, simple, and incredibly tasty.  The briny-sweet taste of the mussels, the smoky bite of the kielbasa, and the fragrant spicy broth combine to make a meal that always ends with me drinking from the bowl and sopping up the last with a bit of bread while I look for seconds.  Always.

To clean the mussels, I usually start by plugging up a sink and filling it with ice and cold water.  I also set up a bowl with a colander in it next to the sink and grab a pair of needle-nose pliers.  Then, one at a time, I grab a mussel, check to make sure it's closed and undamaged, give it a scrub, and remove any beard with the pliers by gently tugging until it tears free.  I typically only need to toss 1-3 bad mussels per pound.


Cooking this dish couldn't be simpler.  Brown the meat, add the aromatics, deglaze with wine, and add the pepper and mussels to steam.  Wait ten minutes, uncover and toss any mussels that are still shut.  Garnish with parsley and serve with a hunk of bread.  This is one of my all-time favorites.

Crab & Artichoke Gratin

Crab and Artichoke Gratin

We made a half-batch of this Friday night to have something to snack on over the weekend.  Finished eating the last of it today.  Takes about fifteen minutes of actual work, and it was delicious!

Restaurant: The Big Tuna Fish Joint

Shrimp Po Boy

Kate and I checked out The Big Tuna Fish Joint tonight.  They just opened on our side of town where Cha Cha's used to be.  When you get in, you queue up to make your order, take a number and find a table.  Not a bad system, but you can't order alcohol at the front counter.  You have to look for a waiter to get you the drink, which means you'll have to pay two bills before the night is over.  It was awkward.

We ordered a dozen oysters, a shrimp po boy for me and an oyster po boy for Kate.  The food came out fast, the oysters were cold and plump, and the po boys were hot and tasty.  The fries were good too.

The service was friendly and fast, but a little disjointed.  The idea of one waiter per table was lost there, so we had a constant barrage of staff refilling our drinks and asking us how are meal was.  During a thirty minute meal, we had two managers, four waiters and the hostess check up on us.  I'm going to chalk it up to the recent opening and hope that the kinks will get worked out soon.

Kate and I agree that it was good enough to go back.