Lobster Bisque Soup

Lobster Bisque Soup
4 Tbl. (1/2 stick) butter
1 med. Onion chopped
1 tsp. mince garlic
1 med. Carrot, peeled and chopped
1 bay leaf
3 sprigs fresh thyme or ½ tsp. dried thyme
4 to 8 lobster bodies, cooked or uncooked, with shells and innards
1 cup dry wine
1 cup cored, peeled, seeded, and chopped tomatoes
( canned are fine, don’t bother to drain)
6 cups chicken or fish stock, or strained liquid reserved from boiling lobsters
1 cup heavy cream
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Mince fresh parsley leaves for garnish.


1. Place 2 Tbl. Of butter in large, deep saucepan or casserole over med heat. When it melts, add the onion, garlic, carrot, bay leaf, and thyme and cook, stirring, until the onion softens, 5 to 10 min.

2. Add the lobster bodies and, if they are uncooked, cook, stirring, until they turn red, about 10 min. (If they are already cooked, cook, stirring, about 5 min.). Add the wine and tomatoes and turn the heat to med.-high. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat to low, cover, and cook for 10 min.

3. Add the stock, turn the heat to high, and bring back to a boil. Once again, turn the heat to low and cover; cook 2o min. Remove the bay leaf and thyme sprigs. Remove the lobster shells, crack them if necessary, and pick off any meat you find. Return the bits of meat to the soup (reserve any large pieces of meat you have for the final addition, below).

4. Pass the soup through a food mill or puree it in a blender. (You may prepare the soup in advance up to2 days, and reheat before proceeding).

5. Return the soup to the pot and bring to a boil. Add remaining butter, it bits, until it melts. Add the cream and any bits of lobster meat and heat through. Season with salt and pepper, garnish, and serve.

Yield: 4 servings

Source: “How to Cook Everything” by Mark Bittman

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