Lobster Bisque With Tarragon Recipes

RESTAURANT QUALITY LOBSTER BISQUE

Steps:

• Steam lobsters in an 8- to 10-quart stockpot. Bring 2 inches of water and salt to a boil over high heat. Using metal tongs or gloves, place the lobsters head first into the pot and cover tightly. When water returns to a heavy boil, turn the heat down to a rolling boil and steam lobsters for 9 minutes for the first pound, and add 4 minutes for each additional pound. Steamed lobsters will be bright red when done. Remove with metal tongs or gloves and place in cool water or let cool for 3-5 minutes before removing meat from shell. Reserve the steaming liquid.
• Twist lobster claws and tails off. Using the side of a kitchen knife or nutcracker, crack the knuckles and claws and take meat out, reserving any liquid that comes out of the shells and on cutting board. Set the tail on a hard surface and use your hand to press down and crack the shell. Remove the tail meat and slice in half lengthwise, removing the black intestinal vein. Coarsely chop the meat and refrigerate. Roughly chop the shells along with all the lobster remains into small pieces and set aside.
• Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat, then add the carrot, celery, onion, garlic and herbs. Sauté until the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the lobster shells, liquid and remains and cook for 6 minutes more. Add tomato paste and cayenne pepper and cook 4 minutes.
• Add the sherry (ignite or cook for alcohol to evaporate). Add clam juice and 1 cup of reserved lobster-steaming liquid. Bring to a simmer and cook covered, for 1 hour. Strain the broth through a colander/sieve, pressing down hard on solids to extract as much liquid as possible.
• Wipe out the pot and pour in the broth. Add the rice, bring to a boil, cover and cook on low for at least 30 minutes, or until the grains are cooked and VERY soft. Blend the bisque in a blender or food processor, then pass through sieve again, pressing down hard on solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Add cream and bring to a low simmer. Add the chopped lobster meat and heat through. Season to taste with salt and serve.

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:

• Bring large pot of water to boil. Add lobsters head first and boil until cooked through, about 8 minutes. Using tongs, transfer lobsters to large bowl. Reserve 2 cups cooking liquid. Cool lobsters.
• Working over large bowl to catch juices, cut off lobster tails and claws. Crack tail and claw shells and remove lobster meat. Coarsely chop lobster meat; cover and chill. Coarsely chop lobster shells and bodies; transfer to medium bowl. Reserve juices from lobster in large bowl.
• Heat olive oil in heavy large pot over high heat. Add lobster shells and bodies and sauté until shells begin to brown, about 8 minutes. Add onion and next 8 ingredients. Mix in brandy and Sherry. Boil until almost all liquid has evaporated, about 4 minutes. Add fish stock, reserved 2 cups lobster cooking liquid and lobster juices. Simmer 1 hour.
• Strain soup through sieve set over large saucepan, pressing firmly on solids. Whisk tomato paste into soup. Simmer until soup is reduced to 3 cups, about 15 minutes. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
• Add cream to soup and simmer 5 minutes. Dissolve cornstarch in 1 tablespoon water. Add to soup and boil until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Mix lobster meat into soup and stir to heat through. Ladle soup into bowls.

LOBSTER BISQUE FROM SCRATCH

Steps:

• Pour 4 cups seafood stock into a large pot and bring to a rolling boil. Add lobster tails and boil until flesh is opaque, about 5 minutes. Remove tails and reserve all broth. Shell all tail meat and set aside.
• Melt butter in another pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery. Saute until fragrant, 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic and saute, 30 to 40 seconds. Pour in sherry; let it reduce by half. Pour in reserved seafood stock. Add rice and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce to medium-low. Let simmer until rice is tender, about 30 minutes. Remove bay leaf.
• Blend all contents of the soup until smooth using an immersion blender. Add tomato paste, tarragon, salt, thyme, pepper, paprika, and cayenne. Let simmer over medium-low heat for 30 minutes more. Pour in cream and stir in well for that trademark pinkish/orange bisque color. Season with salt and pepper. Ladle soup into bowls and top with a generous lump of lobster meat.

LOBSTER BISQUE

Steps:

• Fill a large pot with 1/2 inch of water. Stir in 2 teaspoons kosher salt and bring the water to a boil. Add the lobsters, cover with a tight-fitting lid and return the water to a boil. Once boiling, lower the heat to a gentle boil and cook the lobsters until they are bright red, about 12 minutes. Remove the lobsters, reserving the liquid. When the lobsters have cooled slightly, place them in a bowl and remove the meat from the claws and tail, again reserving any liquid that comes out of the shells. Chop the meat and refrigerate. Roughly chop the shells into small pieces and reserve, along with all the lobster remains.
• Swirl the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat, then add the vegetables and herbs. Sweat until the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes, then increase the heat to medium-high and add the lobster shells and remains. Sauté for 5 to 6 minutes, then add the tomato paste and cook for an additional 3 to 4 minutes.
• Add the sherry, then ignite or cook until the alcohol has evaporated. Add fish stock and 1 cup of the lobster-cooking liquid. Bring to a simmer and cook, covered, for 1 hour.
• Strain the broth through a colander, pressing down hard on the solids to extrude as much liquid as possible. Wipe out the pot and pour in the broth. Add the rice and cook for at least 30 minutes, or until the grains are cooked to extreme softness.
• Blend the bisque in a food processor or blender, then pass through a fine sieve, again pressing down hard on what solids remain. Add the cream and bring to a low simmer. Add the chopped lobster meat, let it heat through, then season to taste with salt and cayenne.