Lobster Base Food

LOBSTER BASE

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients in a large sauce pan. Bring to a boil. Reduce liquid to about one cup. Separate solids from liquid. Base can be frozen for up to 6 months. Cooking time will vary as will servings depending on recipe and how the base is used.

LOBSTER SAUCE

Steps:

• In a hot pan, cook the lobster shells and peppercorns in olive oil until well browned. Add the onion, carrot, and celery and cook until lightly caramelized.
• Add the tomato paste and cook a few more minutes, being careful not to add any more color to the tomato paste. Deglaze with brandy and reduce by 1/2.
• Add paprika, cayenne, roux, star anise, lobster stock, bouquet garni, and fennel, and whisk to incorporate the roux. Simmer covered for 1 hour.
• Strain the sauce, discarding the vegetables. Place lobster shells in a food processor and grind. Return ground shells to the sauce and cook until reduced to sauce consistency. Finish with cold butter whisked into sauce. When butter is incorporated, strain sauce again.
• Serve with roasted fish of your choice.

LOBSTER BASE

Steps:

• Procedure:.
• Take one whole live lobster Remove the meat from the shell.
• Crush the shells.
• Saute the shells with butter, diced onions, diced celery tomato paste, and bay leaf.
• Deglaze with two ounces of brandy, add two cups of water, bring to boil, and simmer for three hours.
• Strain broth. return to the heat, bring to a boil. reduce to 3 tbls.

LOBSTER BISQUE

Steps:

• In a small frying pan place 1/4 cup chicken broth and the onion. Cook over a low heat for 5 to 7 minutes.
• In a medium size pot over medium heat melt the butter. Slowly whisk in flour. Whisk until a creamy mixture is created.
• Gradually pour in broth, whisking constantly. Whisk in milk, salt, onion, lobster meat, Worcestershire sauce and cayenne pepper. Heat until soup is almost boiling. Do not boil the soup as the milk will curdle when boiled.

PERFECT LOBSTER BISQUE

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the mushrooms, onion, celery, and carrot. Cook and stir until tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in the chicken broth, and season with salt and cayenne pepper. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes.
• Pour the vegetable and broth mixture into the container of a blender, and add 1/4 cup of the lobster meat. Cover, and process until smooth. Return to the saucepan, and stir in the half-and-half, white wine, and remaining lobster meat. Cook over low heat, stirring frequently until thickened, about 30 minutes.

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:

• Stock: In a large pot lined with a steamer basket, bring 1 inch salted water to a boil. Steam lobster tails, top-side down, until just cooked through and tails curl under, 6 to 8 minutes for small tails and 8 to 10 minutes for large. Transfer to a plate and let cool. When cool enough to handle, use kitchen shears to cut through underside of tails. Remove meat from shells; reserve shells. Run a paring knife along back of each tail and remove vein. Cut meat into bite-size pieces; cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
• Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high. Add shells and cook until fragrant and deep red in color, about 4 minutes. Add fish stock, wine, and 6 cups water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer, uncovered, skimming impurities from surface, until reduced to 6 cups, 40 to 45 minutes. Strain stock into a large liquid-measuring cup or heatproof bowl. Wipe out pot. (Stock can be stored in airtight containers in the freezer up to 3 months.)
• Bisque: In same pot, melt 4 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat. Add fennel, onion, and garlic and season with salt and pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, tomato paste, thyme, bay leaf, paprika, and cayenne; cook 1 minute. Add brandy, sherry, and strained lobster stock; season generously with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and simmer 30 minutes. Remove thyme and bay leaf.
• Working in batches, puree soup in a blender until smooth. Return soup to pot. Let cool 15 minutes. Whisk together cream and cornstarch, then stir into bisque. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring, until thickened slightly, 1 to 2 minutes. Adjust seasoning as desired.
• Melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter in a medium saute pan over medium heat. Add lobster meat and cook until just warmed through, 2 to 3 minutes. Pour soup into bowls and serve, topped with lobster, fennel fronds, and a squeeze of lemon, if desired. Soup can be made in advance and stored in an airtight container in refrigerator up to 2 days.

LOBSTER STOCK 101

Steps:

• Remove head sacs (behind eyes) in carapaces; discard. Remove any green tomalley or red roe; reserve for another use or discard. Wrap shells in a clean kitchen towel. Using a rolling pin, meat pounder, or hammer, break shells (some large pieces might remain).
• Heat oil in a Dutch oven or stockpot over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Add shells; cook until fragrant (do not let blacken), about 3 minutes.
• Stir in onions, carrots, celery, and garlic, and fennel (if desired). Cook, without stirring, until vegetables begin to brown, about 3 minutes. Add tomatoes, wine (if desired), peppercorns, thyme, parsley, and bay leaf.
• Fill pot two-thirds with cold water (about 4 1/2 quarts). Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer. Skim froth from surface with a ladle. Cook until broth is aromatic and flavorful, about 1 hour 45 minutes.
• Carefully pour stock through a fine sieve set over a large bowl or container. Discard solids; let stock cool completely. If not using immediately, refrigerate in airtight containers up to 3 days, or freeze up to 2 months.