Lobster Bisque

Okay, so Gary asked for Lobster Bisque for his birthday.  I am a just a tad bit late.  A couple of weeks.  I have never attempted lobster bisque before.  I did TONS of research.  I love lobster bisque but I don't like lobster meat.  I dig out the meat and give it to Gary when we go out.  At $25 a bowl we don't do that much.  I find that I over eat the soup and bread - then I am starving before bedtime.  So what did I have to lose.  I made the decision that I did NOT want to mess with live lobster.  For several reasons, one I don't have a large enough pan, and probably the most important reason I didn't want to listen to them scream while I cooked them alive.  So I purchased three whole cooked lobsters.  They were $6 each precooked.

I then removed all the meat, you only get about 1/2 to 2/3 cup of meat from each lobster.  You really don't get much.

I then decided I was going to make as much broth as I could get.  So I simmered down the shells for stock.  I filled the stock pot with all the shells and covered them with water.  I simmered this for about two hours.

I did tons of research and combined recipes. Here is what I settled on.

1/2 stick of real butter
3 cups of chopped carrots
3 cups of chopped celery

saute them on med heat until almost golden brown. not cooked you are going after flavor here.
While these were cooking I fished the shells from my lobster broth.  I strained it several times to make sure I had no little shells at all.  The veggies don't have to be pretty you are going to blend these.

when they are close to done add
3 cups of chopped onions cook until onions are brown on the edges
last add the garlic.. this cooks fast watch it
8 cloves of fresh smashed garlic (used my garlic press)

Now in the stock pot place
Golden brown veggies
1  6oz can of tomato paste
3 cups of the lobster broth
2 dried bay leaves
3 large fresh basil leaves
1/2 tsp dried parsley
1/2 tsp dried thyme

Simmer until veggies are cooked about 15-20 mins, don't boil just a steady simmer. While that is going make your roux. This smells AMAZING...

In the saute pan melt the other 1/2 stick of butter
 a heavy 1/2 cup of flour almost 3/4 cup (heaping 1/2)
make a light to medium brown roux
then add
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup white wine
1/4 cup sherry
1/2 of  .0141 oz package of saffron
Honestly I would leave this out the next time or just add a pinch this is a very strong flavor.

Lobster stock...  I had 12 cups of lobster broth so I figured my spices and veggies off that.

I know nothing about these types of booze so I just grabbed mid grade. 

When your veggies are done remove them from the stock pan, put them in a bowl.  Dig out the bay leaves. I don't have a fancy food press/grinder. So I just ran them threw the blender.  I could not find my immersion stick blender or I would have used that.  Add the veggie mix, cream roux, and all the lobster stock back into the stock pot.  Heat to a simmer.  Take about 10 minutes.  This is your bisque.

Now I put the lobster meat in a small pan and spooned enough bisque over the meat to make four bowls.  I heated this until the meat was hot, just took minutes.  I added shrimp to the rest.  I would try crab meat the next time.  VERY good.. But tons of work.. Just a special occasion thing for me.

Happy cooking.