Fabulous Quick Lobster Bisque
After years of tinkering I've developed a quick lobster bisque that is as fabulous and full of flavor as it is simple and easy to make.
Servings 4 servings
Calories 350kcal
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup finely diced yellow onion
- 1/4 cup finely diced carrots
- 1/4 cup finely diced celery
- a sprinkle of kosher salt
- 3 tbsp flour
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 3 tbsp cognac, or bourbon
- 2 cups seafood stock
- a few sprigs of thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/4 tsp cayenne
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 10 oz frozen lobster meat, thawed and roughly chopped
- creme fraiche, optional
- 4 tbsp finely chopped chives
Instructions
- In a stockpot, melt the butter on medium heat. Add the onions, carrots, celery, and kosher salt. Reduce the heat to low and saute the vegetables for about 10 minutes, until soft and translucent. Sprinkle the vegetables with the flour and stir to combine, making sure the flour is well mixed into the butter. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
- Add white wine and cognac. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, for 1-2 minutes. Mixture will be thick. Add the stock, thyme, bay leaf, cayenne, and tomato paste. Bring to a boil, stirring vigorously to fully blend in the roux, and then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Strain the stock to remove all the solids and then return it to the pot. Add the milk and cream and bring the bisque back to a simmer. Remove the soup from the heat. Add in the chopped lobster meat and warm it through.
- Serve the bisque topped with creme fraiche (if desired) and chives.
Notes
- If you are using creme fraiche, it's nice to warm it up a bit before swirling it into the soup.
- I prefer the flavor and texture of claw and knuckle meat in the bisque. It usually comes in small, plastic tubs and needs to be thawed in the refrigerator for at least a day.
- If you can find lobster stock, definitely go with that for the broth. However, basic seafood stock or clam broth are also good choices.
- I sometimes will keep the vegetables in the broth. If I don't want to strain them out, I puree the broth with the vegetables in the blender or using a stick blender (though a stick blender will not get the broth as smooth), then continue with the recipe and add the milk/cream.
- When I don't have any cognac on hand, I switch to brandy or bourbon.
- If you think the bisque is a little thick after you add the milk and cream, add a little more milk or stock to the soup.
- Don't cook the lobster! Just warm it through. The lobster will get tough if you let it simmer in the bisque.
- For a lighter, less indulgent bisque, reduce the cream to 1/2 cup and increase the milk to 1 1/2 cups. I don't like the bisque with all milk.
Nutrition
Calories: 350kcal