Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 12 shallots, thinly sliced
- 12 mushrooms, thinly sliced
- 1 cup brandy
- 1 cup Madeira
- 6 cups lobster stock
Beurre Manie:
- 1 tablespoon softened, unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1/4 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- Dash of hot pepper sauce
Directions
Melt butter in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Saute shallots until golden, about 3 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook over high heat until slightly browned, about 2 additional minutes.
Remove from heat and add brandy and Madeira reserving 1/4 cup of each for final seasoning. Cook over high heat until liquid is reduced by half. Add lobster stock and return to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook, uncovered, 15 to 30 minutes, depending on the strength of your stock. (Weaker stocks need to cook longer to concentrate their flavors.) Occasionally skim and discard foam that rises to the top.
Make beurre manie by mixing butter and flour with your fingers to form a smooth paste. Press onto ends of a whisk.
When broth has a strong, almost salty, lobster flavor, add cream and bring it back to a boil, skimming foam occasionally. Then whisk in beurre manie until dissolved. Cook an additional 5 minutes over high heat, whisking occasionally.
Strain through a fine sieve, pressing with the back of a ladle to extract all juices. Season with lemon juice, reserved brandy and Madeira, and hot pepper sauce, and serve immediately.
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By keninbos
Boston, MA
on January 15, 2012
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I made this for a dinner party on Cape Cod where we know a lot about lobsters and bisques and chowders. Started by making Milliken & Feniger's lobster stock recipe (on Food Network and then used it in this recipe. Nothing about the recipes are difficult but it does take a good deal of time. The results are worthy it - absolutely fantastic. Everyone raved - totally restaurant quality and not overly creamy. I was worried about using so much Brandy and Madeira but definitely go for it - really enriches the soup. Worthy of a special occasion and a great way to used lobsters bodies after a lobster dinner (just throw them in the freezer and take them out when you want to make the stock - they freeze perfectly for this.
By ndparr
on July 16, 2011
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Made this recipe twice. First time I had made the stock from lobster heads, so I figured it tasted bad because of that, but the second time I bought stock. I even used a fine Cognac and actual shallots, but it still tastes weird. Doesn't taste like a bisque.
By NortonSmitty
Flagler Beach, ...
on July 04, 2011
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After treating my girlfriend to a four-pound lobster dinner for her birthday a few years ago, I asked for the shells as well as the leftover meat to be put into to-go containers for Bisque. I'm not the greatest cook when it comes to following recipes that require a delicate touch, but I picked this one off the net, mainly because it had mushrooms in it. As a half-Ukrainian boy who followed his Grandparents through the woods south of Pittsburgh since he could walk picking the things, I believe there is nothing that can't be improved by adding mushrooms except maybe a few desserts, so I tackled this one. That was a few yeaqrs ago, and my girl said that it was the best thing she ever ate in her life, and I think it is the best thing I have ever cooked. The Buerre Manie gives it a creamy and delicate flavor and is so easy, I use it on many other cream soups and sauces with great results.Try it, you'll agree it's the best ever, better than I've ever had in any restaurant.
Read all 6 reviews