Creamy French Lobster Soup — Bisque de Homard
The grand French lobster bisque, a velvety brandy and tomato broth built from lobster shells and finished with cream and tarragon.
French
Categories
Nutrition per Serving
Ingredients
For 2 servings
Instructions
Prep
Sedate lobster in freezer 15 minutes, dispatch through head cross. Twist head from tail, split head lengthways, reserve tomalley, crack claws. Roughly chop shallots, carrot, celery, fennel. Crush garlic. Peel orange zest in wide strips. Slice sourdough into 4 thin slices.
Boil
Poach lobster tail and claws in simmering salted water 4 minutes until shells bright red. Lift out, cool completely, extract meat, cover and chill. Return shells and legs to pot, reserve poaching liquid.
Sear
Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in heavy wide pot over medium-high heat. Sear all lobster shells 4 minutes until deep red and fragrant, stirring occasionally.
Build 1
Add shallots, carrot, celery, fennel, garlic; sauté 6 minutes until softened and lightly golden. Off heat, add cognac, return to flame, let flames subside. Stir in tomato paste and tinned tomatoes, cook 2 minutes.
Simmer
Add wine, scrape base clean. Pour in fish stock, reserved poaching liquid, rice, bay, thyme, tarragon sprigs, orange zest, saffron, cayenne, salt. Simmer uncovered 45 minutes until rice breaks down and liquid deeply flavoured. Discard bay, thyme, zest; press shells through fine sieve. Blend tomalley with hot bisque, whisk back in. Stir in cream, simmer 3 minutes. Whisk in cold butter off heat until silky. Season with lemon juice, chopped tarragon.
Finish
Butter sourdough, toast in dry pan 2 minutes per side until deep golden. Warm reserved lobster meat in splash of bisque 1 minute, slice tail into medallions.
Plate
Ladle bisque into warm shallow bowls, arrange lobster medallions in centre, swirl crème fraîche, scatter chives. Serve with buttered toasts alongside.
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