Lobster Bisque

Ingredients

• 2 (1.5 lb each) whole live lobsters (or 1 lb cooked lobster meat + 1 lb raw lobster shells)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 1/4 cup brandy or cognac
• 1/2 cup dry white wine (like Sauvignon Blanc)
• 6 cups fish stock or good quality chicken stock
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup heavy cream
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• Fresh chives or parsley, chopped, for garnish

Instructions

1. If using live lobsters, bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Carefully add lobsters, headfirst, and cook for 8-10 minutes until bright red. Remove lobsters and plunge into an ice bath to stop cooking.
2. Once cool enough to handle, twist off claws and tail from the lobster bodies. Crack claws and tails to extract the meat. Chop the meat into bite-sized pieces and set aside. Roughly chop the empty shells and bodies.
3. In a large stockpot or Dutch oven, heat olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter over medium-high heat. Add the chopped lobster shells and cook, stirring occasionally, until they turn bright red and fragrant, about 5-7 minutes.
4. Add half of the chopped onion, carrots, and celery to the pot with the shells. Cook for another 5 minutes until softened. Stir in half of the minced garlic and the tomato paste, cooking for 2 minutes until fragrant.
5. Deglaze the pot with brandy, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Cook until the liquid is almost evaporated. Pour in the fish or chicken stock, add the dried thyme, bay leaf, and cayenne pepper. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low, cover, and let it gently simmer for 30 minutes to develop flavor.
6. Carefully strain the stock through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl, pressing on the solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the solids. You should have about 4-5 cups of flavorful lobster stock.
7. In the same cleaned Dutch oven or stockpot, melt the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter over medium heat. Add the remaining chopped onion, carrots, and celery. Cook until softened, about 5-7 minutes. Stir in the remaining minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
8. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and cook, stirring constantly, for 2-3 minutes to create a roux.
9. Gradually whisk in the strained lobster stock until smooth and no lumps remain. Bring the bisque to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally, and cook for 10-15 minutes until it thickens slightly.
10. Remove the bay leaf. Using an immersion blender (or carefully transferring to a regular blender in batches), blend the bisque until very smooth. For an extra silky texture, strain the bisque through a fine-mesh sieve again into a clean pot.
11. Stir in the heavy cream and the reserved cooked lobster meat. Heat gently over low heat, do not boil, just until the lobster meat is warmed through.
12. Season the bisque with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Ladle into bowls and garnish with fresh chives or parsley before serving.