AB's Lobster Bisque

Name: AB's Lobster Bisque
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 90 min
Total time: 75 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 pieces Lobster Shell (The shells of 2 lobsters, raw or cooked (about 1 pound)); 5 sprig Thyme (5 sprigs thyme); 5 sprig Tarragon (5 sprigs tarragon); 5 sprig Parsley (5 sprigs parsley); 4 tbsp Unsalted Butter (4 tablespoons room temperature unsalted butter, divided); 1 piece Carrot (1 large carrot, peeled and chopped); 1 piece White Onion (1 large white onion, peeled and chopped); 1 piece Celery (1 stalk celery, chopped); ½ tsp Kosher Salt (1/2 teaspoon kosher salt); ½ tsp White Pepper (1/2 teaspoon white pepper, plus more to taste); 2 tbsp Tomato Paste (2 tablespoons tomato paste); ½ cup Dry Sherry (1/2 cup plus 2 teaspoons dry sherry, divided); 6 cup Fish Broth (6 cups seafood stock (preferably homemade but if not, see note)); 2 tbsp All-Purpose Flour (2 tablespoons all-purpose flour); ½ cup White Rice (1/2 cup cooked white rice); ½ cup Heavy Cream (1/2 cup heavy cream); 1 tsp Sherry Vinegar (1 teaspoon sherry vinegar); 0 pieces Chives (Fresh chives, finely chopped) — optional

A rich, creamy lobster bisque made by simmering crushed lobster shells with aromatics, herbs, and stock, then thickening with a beurre manié and blending with rice for smoothness.

75 minAmerican

Servings4

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Pescatarian

Ingredients

For 4 servings

Lobster Shell2 pieces · The shells of 2 lobsters, raw or cooked (about 1 pound)
Thyme5 sprig · 5 sprigs thyme
Tarragon5 sprig · 5 sprigs tarragon
Parsley5 sprig · 5 sprigs parsley
Unsalted Butter4 tbsp · 4 tablespoons room temperature unsalted butter, divided
Carrot1 piece · 1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
White Onion1 piece · 1 large white onion, peeled and chopped
Celery1 piece · 1 stalk celery, chopped
Kosher Salt½ tsp · 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
White Pepper½ tsp · 1/2 teaspoon white pepper, plus more to taste
Tomato Paste2 tbsp · 2 tablespoons tomato paste
Dry Sherry½ cup · 1/2 cup plus 2 teaspoons dry sherry, divided
Fish Broth6 cup · 6 cups seafood stock (preferably homemade but if not, see note)
All-Purpose Flour2 tbsp · 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
White Rice½ cup · 1/2 cup cooked white rice
Heavy Cream½ cup · 1/2 cup heavy cream
Sherry Vinegar1 tsp · 1 teaspoon sherry vinegar
Chives0 pieces · Fresh chives, finely chopped · optional

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Steps

1Place the lobster shells in a gallon-size zip top bag and seal tightly, pushing out any air. Pound the shells with a heavy object such as a rolling pin or meat mallet until crushed into small pieces. Set aside. Make a bundle with the thyme, tarragon, and parsley sprigs, tie tightly with butchers twine and set aside.
2Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a 7-8-quart Dutch oven or heavy bottom pot over medium heat. Add the chopped carrot, onion, celery, salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of the white pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes.
3Add the lobster shells and cook for about 8 minutes, until you begin to see browning around the edges and bottom of the pot. Add the tomato paste and stir to thoroughly coat the shells, 2 minutes. Carefully pour in 1/2 cup of the dry sherry and cook until it's almost evaporated, 2 minutes. Drop in your herb bundle and pour in the seafood stock. Crank the heat to high and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid (slightly ajar), and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
4While the stock is cooking, make a beurre manié with the remaining room temperature butter and flour in a small bowl using a spoon to mash it all together. You'll use this later to thicken the soup.
5Strain the stock through a colander into a large bowl pressing on the shells with a wooden spoon to release as much liquid as possible. Discard the shells and aromatics and wipe out the cooking pot. Return the strained stock to the pot and bring back to a simmer over medium-high heat.
6Add the beurre manié into the simmering stock one tablespoon at a time, whisking vigorously to fully dissolve each addition. Continue whisking and simmering for about 3 minutes then kill the heat.
7Transfer the soup to a blender and add the cooked rice. Blend on high speed for 1 minute or until very smooth.
8Place a fine mesh sieve over your cooking pot and strain the contents of the blender back in. Turn the heat to medium and add the heavy cream, the remaining dry sherry, and sherry vinegar. Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring frequently. Check the seasoning and add more salt, if needed, plus a few grinds of white pepper.
9Serve in bowls with a sprinkling of fresh chives, if desired.