Lobster Bisque

Lobster Bisque is a classic creamy soup that is made by straining the broth of lobster shells to create a homemade lobster stock. While that may be a task that a five star chef would  be willing to undertake, it just seems like too much work. This easy recipe will give you lots of flavor, a creamy soup, and it will be simple to make.

Just by making a simple roux, we will be able to create a nice thick soup that is hearty enough to be a main course. The addition of sherry wine gives it an added pop of flavor. The lobster meat and a bit of tomato paste give the soup a nice pink color and the cream added at the end finishes it nicely. Depending on how you like it, you could cut big chunks of lobster or chop it into small pieces.

This velvety Lobster Bisque recipe can work just as well with shrimp if you prefer that over lobster. This would make a nice starter to a special occasions like Valentine’s Day or a hearty meal in itself.

If you like creamy seafood soups check out this New England Clam Chowder recipe made with clam juice and canned clams. You might also like Cioppino.

If you are fan of seafood, you might also like Crab Cakes.

SOME THINGS TO KNOW:

SUBSTITUTIONS:

If you do not want to cook live lobster for this recipe, you could use frozen cooked lobster tails or purchase cooked fresh lobster or canned lobster. Each 1.25 pound lobster will yield a little over over 3 ounces of meat. What ever type lobster you use for this recipe, you want to have around 12 ounces of fresh lobster meat for the soup between the tail meat and the claw meat.

Shrimp would also be a good substitute for the lobster in this recipe. You will need 12 ounces of cooked shrimp for the recipe.

Sherry wine is called for in the recipe. This is a dry white wine which helps to make a very flavorful broth. If you do not have sherry, Dry Vermouth would be the closest in flavor. You could also use a white wine like Pinot Grigio.

You could substitute vegetable broth for the chicken broth with good results.

ADDITIONS:

If you want to add a fresh herb to the soup, a tablespoon of fresh thyme would add a nice touch.

You can add ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper to add a bit more flavor without adding noticeable heat to the bisque.

STORAGE:

You can store any leftover bisque in the refrigerator for 2-3 days in an airtight container.

You can freeze the bisque before you add the cream for 2-3 months in an airtight freezer container. The cream can separate when frozen so make sure it is not added.

REHEATING:

The lobster bisque soup can be reheated in a saucepan on the stove over low heat. If it has thickened while sitting, simple add a bit more broth or cream to the pot.

Lobster Bisque

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Serves: 6 servings Cooking Time: 25-30 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 stick of butter
• 1 medium onion chopped
• ¾ cup of flour
• 2 - 14.5 ounce cans chicken broth
• ¾ cup dry sherry
• 4 - 1 ¼ pound lobsters, cooked and meat removed or 15 ounce can of lobster meat,
• 1 large bay leaf
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 3 cups light cream or heavy cream
• salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

Melt butter in a large saucepan over low heat. Add the chopped onion and cook for 2-3 minutes until it starts to soften. Do not let it brown.

Stir in the flour and mix it in well, using a whisk until you have a thick paste. Make sure that all of the flour is mixed in well.

  Slowly start adding the chicken broth, whisking constantly. You want to make sure that you whisk out any lumps of flour so that you have a smooth  mixture.

 When all the broth is incorporated, increase the heat to medium and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the soup thickens.

Stir in the sherry and lobster meat. Add the bay leaf. Simmer on low heat for 15 minutes. Stirring occasionally.

 Add the  tomato paste and whisk to blend it in well. You want to  achieve a consistent pink color. 

Add cream and stir it in. Heat thoroughly, but do not let the soup come to a boil!

Lobster Bisque was last modified: June 4th, 2023 by Sue O'Connell