Celery Root Bisque With Lobster Food

LOBSTER BISQUE

Steps:

• Twist off the claws and tails from the lobsters. Remove the meat, discarding the green tomalley and reserving the shells. Coarsely chop the meat to measure about 2 1/2 cups, and transfer to a bowl; cover and chill.
• Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a Dutch oven over medium. Add the lobster shells, and cook, stirring often, until lightly browned, about 8 minutes. Stir in the sherry, and cook until the liquid is nearly evaporated, about 2 minutes. Add the celery, garlic, bay leaves, peppercorns, 4 cups water and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Increase the heat to high, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer until reduced to about 2 1/2 cups, about 15 minutes. Pour through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl; discard the solids. Set aside.
• Meanwhile, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a medium skillet over medium. Add the onions, carrots, mushrooms, tomato paste, cayenne and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Add the wine and bring to a boil over medium-high. Reduce the heat to medium-low, add the reserved lobster stock and simmer until reduced to about 2 cups, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat.
• Puree the mixture with an immersion blender until smooth. Place over medium heat, stir in the milk and cream, and bring to a simmer. Add the lobster meat, reserving 1/4 cup for garnish.
• To serve, ladle the bisque into bowls and top with the reserved lobster meat and chives.

CELERY ROOT BISQUE (WITH LOBSTER)

Steps:

• Set a heavy 4-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and butter and once melted, sauté the onion, potato, celery, shallot, Serrano, and garlic until softened and fragrant, about 10 minutes. Add the wine and simmer until the wine is completely absorbed, about 7 - 10 minutes.
• Add the celery root, stock, salt, cayenne pepper, and mustard in the saucepan and simmer until the celery root is tender, about 35 to 40 minutes.
• Remove the saucepan from the heat and puree the soup using an immersion blender (or in batches using a blender) until smooth. Stir in the half-and-half and milk. Taste, and re-season the soup if necessary and garnish with the chervil.
• Serve with 3 tablespoons of the sauteed lobster per soup bowl for the meat eaters at the table.
• Using kitchen scissors, cut the lobster shells in half, and firmly open up to butterfly the tails. Gently slice through the lobster meat just enough to open it up. Be careful not to cut all the way through the meat.
• Melt the butter and stir in the seasoning and salt.
• Turn the tails upside down on a broiler pan, and broil for 7 minutes. Flip over and baste with the seasoned butter. Slip back under the broiler for another 4 minutes or until done. Baste again with the season butter.
• The lobster tails can be served as is with additional butter alongside the soup, or gently remove the meat from the shells, coarsely chop, and top each bowl of bisque with the meat of one tail.

CELERY ROOT BISQUE WITH SAUTEED LOBSTER

Steps:

• Set a 4-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and once hot, saute the onions, parsnips and celery until softened, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the shallots and garlic to the pan and saute until fragrant, 45 to 60 seconds. Place the celery root, stock, salt and cayenne pepper in the saucepan and ring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook until the celery root is tender, about 35 to 40 minutes.
• When the celery root is tender, remove the saucepan from the heat and puree the soup using an immersion blender (or in batches using a bar blender), until smooth. Taste, and re-season the soup if necessary and garnish with the parsley. Serve with 3 tablespoons of the sauteed lobster per soup bowl.
• Set a large 2 to 3-gallon stockpot to boil over high heat. Once the water comes to a boil, immerse the lobster in the pot. Cook the lobsters for 3 minutes, remove, and chill immediately in ice water. Once the lobster is cool enough to handle, remove from the water and place on a kitchen towel draped over a cutting board. Use a mallet to crack the shells, and remove the meat from the tail, claws and knuckles. Dice the lobster meat into 1/2-inch pieces and set aside.
• Set a 10-inch saute pan over medium heat and add the butter. Once the butter begins to foam, add the shallots and garlic. Saute the shallots and garlic until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the lobster meat and season with the Essence and salt. Saute the lobster until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Add the lemon juice and raise the heat to high. Cook for 2 minutes. Add the celery leaves to the lobster and toss to blend. Remove from the heat and set aside for the soup.

LOBSTER BISQUE

Steps:

• Dispatch the lobsters by plunging a sharp knife directly behind its head. Cut the lobster in half lengthwise; make sure to collect the juices that will run out. Remove the claws and tail pieces and set aside. Remove the head sac and liver and discard them; cut the body into pieces. Alternately, you can have your fishmonger do this.
• Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large pot over medium heat and melt 3 tablespoons butter in it. Add the chopped lobster bodies and heads and their juices, the leeks, 1 onion, celery, carrots, 1/2 the thyme, 1/2 the orange zest and the tomato paste. Cook until the shells are red and the vegetables are soft, about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and carefully pour in 1/4 cup cognac. Ignite the cognac with a long kitchen match and let the alcohol burn off. Return to the heat, sprinkle in the flour, stir, and cook for another 2 minutes. Add water to cover and stir up all the browned bits on the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon. Add the cream and bring to a boil. Immediately decrease the heat and gently simmer until the soup is reduced and thickened, about 30 to 45 minutes. Strain this into a clean pot and season with salt and pepper if needed; keep warm.
• Meanwhile, heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter in an ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Add remaining onion, thyme, bay leaf, and orange zest along with the peppercorns and let this mixture cook for about 5 minutes. Add the lobster claws and tails; toss to coat with the fat and flavors. Remove the pan from the heat and carefully pour in the remaining 1/4 cup cognac. Ignite the cognac with a long kitchen match and let the alcohol burn off. Put the pan into the oven and roast until the lobster pieces are cooked through, about 15 minutes. Remove the lobster pieces and set aside. When they are cool enough to handle, remove the lobster meat from the claws and tails. Chop the meat roughly and add it to the strained bisque.
• To serve, ladle the bisque into warmed soup bowls. Top with the Grilled Brie and Tomato, if desired.
• Heat the broiler. Put the cherry tomatoes onto a baking sheet, drizzle them with olive oil, and season them with salt and pepper. Broil them until they burst; set them aside.
• Butter the bread on both sides and top each with several slices of brie. Broil until the cheese is bubbling and slightly browned. Top with the tomatoes. Serve immediately.
• Yield: 6 servings

CELERY ROOT BISQUE WITH THYME CROUTONS

Steps:

• Melt butter in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add celery; cover and cook until slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Add shallots; sauté uncovered 3 minutes. Stir in celery root cubes and potato, then broth and 1 1/2 teaspoons thyme. Increase heat to high; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until vegetables are very tender, about 40 minutes. Cool slightly.
• Working in batches, transfer soup to blender and puree until smooth. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Cool slightly. Cover and refrigerate.).
• Stir cream into soup and bring to simmer. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle soup into bowls. Sprinkle with additional chopped thyme and serve.

CELERY-ROOT BISQUE WITH SHIITAKES

Steps:

• Cook celery root, chopped celery, and shallots in 1/2 stick butter in a 5-quart heavy pot over moderate heat, covered, stirring occasionally, until softened but not browned, about 15 minutes. Add water, salt, and pepper and simmer, uncovered, until vegetables are very tender, about 30 minutes.
• Purée soup in batches in a blender until smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids), then return to pot.
• Stir in cream and reheat bisque over low heat, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Stir in lemon juice.
• While bisque is reheating, melt 2 tablespoons butter in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then sauté mushrooms with salt and pepper to taste, stirring, until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Transfer mushrooms with a slotted spoon to a plate and add remaining 2 tablespoons butter to skillet. Cook butter over moderate heat, swirling skillet, until browned, about 2 minutes, then transfer to a small bowl.
• Serve bisque topped with mushrooms and drizzled with brown butter.

CELERY ROOT BISQUE WITH THYME CROUTONS

Steps:

• Melt butter in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add celery; cover and cook until slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Add shallots; sauté uncovered 3 minutes. Stir in celery root cubes and potato, then broth and 1 1/2 teaspoons thyme. Increase heat to high; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until vegetables are very tender, about 40 minutes. Cool slightly.
• Working in batches, transfer soup to blender and puree until smooth. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Cool slightly. Cover and refrigerate.)
• Stir cream into soup and bring to simmer. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle soup into bowls. Sprinkle with additional chopped thyme and serve.