Lobster Bisque

Recipe courtesy Billie Bourque, Bank Street Lobster House

Show: FoodNation With Bobby FlayEpisode: Mystic, CT

Rated: 5 stars out of 5Rate itRead users' reviews (22)

RECIPE
COMMENTS & REVIEWS(22)

Cook Time:
3 hr 0 min
Level:
Intermediate
Yield:
About 20 servings

Times:

Prep: 15 min
Inactive Prep: --
Cook: 3 hr 0 min
Total:: 3 hr 15 min

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Ingredients

4 (1 1/2-pound) lobsters
1 1/2 cups tomato paste
1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped onion
1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped celery, including leaves
1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped carrot
1 sprig thyme
3 sprigs flat-leaf parsley, plus extra, for garnish
1/2 teaspoon saffron
6 cups heavy cream
1 cup cream sherry
2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup cornstarch

Directions

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.

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Comments & Reviews

recipe Lobster Bisque
Sharon Tucson, AZ 10-31-2009
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Blending?
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

Has anyone tried to blend the stock w/ vedgetables instead of pressing it through a sieve? I usually blend the stock along... w/ the lobster meat, minus the tail, which I chop and add at the end. Read more
recipe Lobster Bisque
jessica davis, CA 08-21-2009
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yum
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I looked at this recipe and it seems great, but I have a full time job and attend grad school, and have no time for 3+ hrs in... the kitchen! I modified it a bit to save time- I had my lobsters steamed at the store, then at home I cracked and cleaned the shells, reserving the meat. I then sauted the veggies for about 5 minutes, and added the shells and continued cooking until the veggies were translucent. I then deglazed then pan with about three quarters cup of white wine, and allowed that to reduce a bit. I then added seafood stock and tomato paste and simmered about 30 to 45 minutes, until it tasted "bisque-y". I then added the heavy cream, simmered gently until heated, and plopped in the lobster meat and removed from the heat. DELISH! Read more
recipe Lobster Bisque
Karen Framingham, MA 03-21-2009
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WOW! Best bisque EVER - better than any restaurant version I've had
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

The time it took was worth every minute. Not sure I can add to anyone else's comments, except to say that I halved the... recipe, and it worked out great. I omitted the saffron for the expense (I'd already spent $90 on lobster!), but nonetheless, this was AMAZING. Can't imagine it could have been any better... Make it for any special occasion, you and your guests will be thrilled!Read more
recipe Lobster Bisque
Constance Wesley Chapel, FL 10-24-2008
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Worth every minute of prep, they beg for it!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I have made this for three years. I make a lot and freeze it. I do add shitake mushrooms after the veggies have been mashed... with a clove of aged roasted garlic, and some hot cajun spice. Upon thawing, I slowly heat while cooking some fresh tails to add to the bottom of the bowl and pour this over it. I freeze it in those little throw away containers. I am a scratch cook and have a hard time not modifying a recipe. Bravo to Bobby! We love this... Cheers!!!Read more
recipe Lobster Bisque
Robert Westwood, NJ 08-22-2008
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Lobster Bisque shouldn't be easy. but should be worth it
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I loved this recipe. Start there. when looking for a recipe I checked ratings and ingredients. I didn?t look at time. ... OOPS! Be sure to check the time involved before you try this recipe. But you should try this recipe if you if you like lobster bisque. cook lobster 20 Minutes Simmer Stock 90 minutes add veggies and cook 30 Minutes Press cooked veggies through strainer 20 Minutes add heavy cream and simmer 20 Minutes Add conrstarch and simmer 20 Minutes Total 200 Minutes I made a few changes but nothing earth shattering. I used 1 pint of heavy cream instead of 3. I couldn?t bring myself to use all 3 pints. I also thickened with ? cup flour mixed with ? cup soft butter. There is some fancy French term for this but I don?t know it. The soup was silky smooth. The sherry added such a great flavor. It is obviously time consuming but since you can create the broth ahead of time, it?s not to bad. Make your broth a day or 2 before then finish it with the cream and corn starch the night you serve it. Leftovers also heated up very nicely. The recipe created more broth than needed so I had this wonderful left over Lobster broth that I enjoyed during the week. I don?t why I had leftovers. My only complaint would be that I would like the directions to be a little more detailed as if they were being written for someone without minimal cooking knowledge. I always like watching Bobby?s shows. Now that I have tried one of his recipes, his cook books are on top of my list for my next cook book purchase. Thank You Mr. FlayRead more
recipe Lobster Bisque
Karen Basking Ridge, NJ 07-25-2008
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The best I have ever tasted
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

This recipe is fabulous even though I quartered it for only 5 searvings and omitted the saffron (not in my pantry). The... flavor was fantastic and worth the elbow grease. When serving I made sure that the claw was put in last, centered and half out of the soup. There was a standing ovation! I will make this again! KarenRead more