Deconstructed Lobster Bisque Food

LOBSTER BISQUE

Steps:

• Fill a large stockpot or Dutch oven half way up with water. Bring to a boil then season with ½ tablespoon salt. (While I'm waiting for the water to boil, I chop my veggies in the food processor). Reduce heat slightly and keep water at a gentle boil. Carefully add lobster tails and boil just until tails turn red, about 2-4 minutes depending on size. We don't want to cook the lobster meat all the way because we are going to sauté it in butter later. Remove tails with tongs or a slotted spoon to a cutting board. Reserve 1 cup liquid and discard the rest.
• Place the lobsters belly sided own on a cutting board. Use a sharp pair of kitchen shears to cut straight down the middle of the shell from the head to the fin. Pry the shells open with your fingers and remove the meat. Chop the meat into large bite-size pieces, cover and refrigerate. Cut the lobster shells with the kitchen shears into large pieces (about 3-inches).
• Melt butter with olive oil over medium heat in the now empty pot. Add lobster shells and cook for 2 minutes to develop the flavor. Stir in onions, celery, carrots, salt and pepper and cook an additional 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, tarragon, parsley, thyme, paprika and garlic; cook one minute. Add clam juice, chicken broth and bay leaves; cover and bring to a boil. Uncover and reduce to a simmer over medium-low for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally (it will be thick).
• Add soup contents to a colander (not a fine mesh sieve) over a large bowl. Pick out noticeable shells. Turn the colander slightly on its side so we can use the larger side holes. Force all of the contents except the shells through the holes by pressing down with a spatula; discard lobster shells.
• Add strained contents to a high-powered blender along with half and half and cornstarch. Blend until smooth using the soup setting.
• Add soup back to the stockpot. Stir in cayenne pepper. Bring to a simmer until it reaches desired consistency. For a thinner soup, stir in some reserved lobster stock. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper to taste (I like more pepper). At this point you can refrigerate or continue if ready to serve.
• When ready to serve, melt 1 tablespoon unsalted butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add lobster meat and season with freshly cracked salt and pepper. Cook while stirring, just until coated in butter and cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Stir lobster meat into soup. Serve immediately.

LOBSTER BISQUE

Steps:

• Fill large stockpot with water and bring to a boil. There should be enough water to cover lobsters completely when immersed. Place live lobsters in boiling water head first to minimize splashing. When water re-boils, turn down the heat, and simmer for 20 minutes. Do not overcook lobsters. Remove lobsters from the pot using tongs; save all the water in stockpot as this is now a flavorful stock to be re-used.
• Place 10 cups of stock in a clean stockpot and put on low heat. Clean claws and tails of lobsters and reserve meat, legs, and swimmerets. After lobsters are cleaned, place shells in stockpot with 10 cups of stock. Cut bodies in quarters and place in stockpot, making sure to include all roe and tomalley in pot. Add 1 cup tomato paste and simmer on low heat for 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally. Be careful not to have heat so high as to burn stock. Pour entire contents of pot through sieve into clean stockpot; this should now be 8 cups of glorious red stock.
• Place onions, celery, carrots, thyme, parsley and saffron in a large saute pan, add 4 cups stock from original stock pot and put on high heat for 30 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes. Add 1/2 cup tomato paste and black pepper. Turn down heat and simmer 30 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes. Press entire contents of saute pan through sieve into stockpot of 8 cups previously made stock.
• To finish Bisque, put pot on medium heat. Add heavy cream slowly, using whisk to blend. Add sherry. Simmer on low heat for 20 minutes; bisque will thicken slightly. Mix cornstarch with 1/4 cup water and slowly add to bisque with whisk. Simmer on low heat for another 20 minutes.
• If you prefer your bisque to be thicker, you may add more cornstarch, or perhaps, flour, but have found the bisque thickens nicely over low heat, and additional cornstarch or flour takes away from the wonderful flavor.
• Place pieces of previous cleaned lobster meat in bowl and add 1 cup of bisque. Garnish with legs and swimmerets around the bowl and one parsley leaf in center, if desired.

LOBSTER BISQUE

Steps:

• In a saute pan heat a little oil over med-high heat and saute shallots, onions, and garlic for one minute.
• Deglaze the pan with the white wine.
• Add the worcestershire, tabasco, and thyme and saute for another minute.
• Deglaze the pan with the sherry.
• Add the paprika, hot water and lobster base and combine well.
• Stir in tomato paste and add the bay leaves.
• Simmer for 10 minutes.
• Whisk in heavy cream and the butter and bring to a boil.
• Add the lobster and simmer until cooked through.
• Serve with crusty garlic bread.

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.

DECONSTRUCTED LOBSTER BISQUE

Steps:

• Blanch lobsters in salted, boiling water for 12 minutes and then immediately plunge into an ice bath. Crack lobster shells and remove meat. Set meat aside. If using shrimp, peel shrimp and set meat aside.
• Heat rondeau (a large pot, wide and low, with 2 handles) or other large pot to medium and add butter.
• When the butter stops bubbling, add lobster or shrimp shells, celery, carrots, onion, garlic, and tomato puree. Cook until lightly caramelized.
• Deglaze with white wine and add thyme, bay leaves, and water. Cook for at least 30 minute Strain stock and discard solids.
• Melt butter in a skillet over medium-low heat. Stir in the flour and cook over low heat for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add to strained liquid and stir to distribute, allowing mixture to thicken.
• Add brandy, sherry, and cream. Season with smoked paprika, salt and pepper.
• Saute lobster or shrimp meat in additional butter, garlic, salt, and pepper. serve with bisque.

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

LOBSTER BISQUE

Steps:

• Boil water, add salt followed by Lobster, boil for 6 minutes. Remove lobster from water with tongs and place in cold water to cool. Reserve cooking liquid, this is your fish stock. If opting to use a ready cooked lobster you can substitute with other fish stock from a cube.
• Once cool enough to handle, place lobster on its back and with a chefs knife, cut the lobster from underneath, all the way from the tail to the head. Rinse away any tomally from the head cavities. Remove and refrigerate claw and tail meat.
• Heat 25 g. of the butter in your soup pot. Add the crushed lobster shells. Each piece should be not more than roughly 1 square inch. All pieces should be in contact with the butter, fry at medium high heat for 5 minutes until colour and smell is maximised.
• Deglaze the pot with the white wine, leaving the shells in the pot. Add the parsley, reserved salted boiling water and the chicken stock. Leave to boil slowly for 45 minutes. Place a lid on the pot after half the cooking time.
• Meanwhile, prep your veg and sautee in the rest of the butter. Once the stock is ready, drain the stock, taking care to remove any shell and parsley. Add the stock to the vegetables with the Thyme, Bayleaf, Tomato Pure, Brandy and Sherry. Boil slowly under a lid for another 45 minutes.
• When ready to serve, blend the bisque, add cream and reheat. Heat a tiny knob of butter with half the lemon juice in a pan, add the reserved lobster meat, fry over a moderate heat for 1 minutes. Add the rest of the lemon juice to the bisque. Place the lobster meat in a heated soup bowl and serve the bisque in front of the guest for added drama.

SHORESIDE LOBSTER BISQUE

Steps:

• Bring large pot of water to boil.
• Add lobsters head first and boil until cooked through, about 8 minutes.
• Using tongs, transfer lobsters to large bowl.
• Reserve 2 cups cooking liquid.
• Cool lobsters.
• Working over large bowl to catch juices, cut off lobster tails and claws.
• Crack tail and claw shells and remove lobster meat.
• Coarsely chop lobster meat; cover and chill.
• Coarsely chop lobster shells and bodies; transfer to medium bowl.
• Reserve juices from lobster in large bowl.
• Heat olive oil in heavy large pot over high heat.
• Add lobster shells and bodies and sauté until shells begin to brown, about 8 minutes.
• Add onion and next 8 ingredients (celery through peppercorns).
• Mix in brandy and Sherry.
• Boil until almost all liquid has evaporated, about 4 minutes.
• Add fish stock, reserved 2 cups lobster cooking liquid and lobster juices.
• Simmer 1 hour.
• Strain soup through sieve set over large saucepan, pressing firmly on solids.
• Whisk tomato paste into soup.
• Simmer until soup is reduced to 3 cups, about 15 minutes.
• (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.) Add cream to soup and simmer 5 minutes.
• Dissolve cornstarch in 1 tablespoon water.
• Add to soup and boil until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes.
• Mix lobster meat into soup and stir to heat through.
• Ladle soup into bowls.

RICH LOBSTER BISQUE

Steps:

• If using frozen lobster tails, allow to thaw completely before beginning. Split tails in half lengthwise; this is easier if you start at the fan end. Devein the tails.
• In a saucepan with a steamer insert and a tight-fitting lid, bring water and salt to a boil. Place lobster tails into steamer insert shell-side down; cover tightly and steam 5-7 minutes. Remove lobster and reserve steaming liquid.
• When cool enough to handle, remove meat from shell with a fork, preferably in one piece. Chill meat until needed.
• Heat olive oil in a large skillet until shimmering. Add lobster shells and saute 5 minutes until flavors are released. Without removing the shells, deglaze the pan with white wine, chicken stock and the reserved steaming water. Simmer until reduced to about 6 cups, about 45 minutes. Strain.
• Meanwhile, melt 1/4 cup butter in a large saucepan. Add fennel and shallot. Saute 5 minutes until soft and translucent. Add strained lobster stock, tomato, brandy, rice, tomato paste, paprika, cayenne pepper, bay leaf and thyme. Simmer 45 minutes.
• Remove bay leaf and thyme. Puree with immersion blender or bar blender, using appropriate safety techniques for blending hot liquids.
• Off heat, stir in heavy cream and lemon juice. Keep warm.
• Melt 1 T butter in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Saute reserved lobster tails until warmed through. Slice tail meat and use to garnish large bowls of soup. Serve hot.

LOW FAT LOBSTER BISQUE

Steps:

• Saute carrot,celery,leek in a nonstick pan using 1 tbsp olive oil, until tender. Puree vegetables with 1/2 cup of fish stock until a thick paste in texture, (will have fine chunks)set aside.
• Use other tbsp of olive oil to saute lobster tails in shells over medium heat until almost done, season with salt and pepper. Add minced garlic to pan with tails and remove from heat. Deglaze pan with 1/2 cup of fish stock and allow to cool.
• I use the pan that I sauteed the vegetables in to build my bisque. Add remaining 3 cups of fish stock to pan, heat on medium heat until bubbling. Add puree and tomato paste and whisk. Remove lobster meat from tails and cut into large pieces. Pour fish stock from lobster pan back into bisque and add lobster meat. Reduce heat to low, add milk and sour cream and whisk to combine.
• Remove from heat, garnish with parsley and serve immediately.