Creamy Lobster Bisque
A restaurant-quality bisque with tender lobster, bright tomato, and luxurious cream, built on a flavor base of butter, shallots, and brandy. Ready in under 50 minutes.
- Total time
- 45 min
- Servings
- 4
- Calories
- 520
- Protein
- 32g
Ingredients
- 1.25 lb lobster tails, thawed if frozen
- 3 tbsp butter
- ½ cup shallots, minced
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- ¼ cup brandy or cognac
- 3 cups fish or seafood stock
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 to taste salt and pepper
- 2 tbsp fresh chives or parsley, chopped (optional garnish)
Instructions
- 1
Place the lobster tails on a cutting board shell-side up. Using a sharp chef's knife, slice each tail lengthwise down the center, splitting it in half from tip to base, so you have two mirror-image halves.
- 2
Pull out the lobster meat from each half—it should come away from the shell easily. Cut the meat into bite-sized pieces (roughly 0.75 inch across).
- 3
Mince the shallots until the pieces are the size of rice grains—about pencil-tip dots. Set aside in a small bowl.
- 4
Place a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add 3 tablespoons of butter and let it melt, swirling the pot once, until it no longer foams and smells nutty, about 2 minutes.
- 5
Add the minced shallots to the hot butter and stir with a wooden spoon. Cook, stirring once every 15 seconds, until the shallots turn translucent and smell sweet and fragrant, about 3 to 4 minutes.
- 6
Stir in the tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute until the paste darkens slightly and smells concentrated.
- 7
Pour in the brandy slowly—stand back slightly as it may flare. Stir and let it bubble gently, scraping up any stuck-on brown bits from the pot bottom with your spoon, for 2 minutes.
- 8
Pour in 3 cups of fish stock and stir to combine. Bring the liquid to a gentle boil over medium-high heat—you'll see large bubbles breaking the surface every second or two.
- 9
Lower the heat to medium-low so the soup simmers gently (small bubbles rise steadily from the bottom without the surface rolling). Cook uncovered for 15 minutes.
- 10
Add the lobster meat pieces to the simmering soup and stir gently. Cook until the lobster is heated through and opaque throughout (cut a piece in half—no translucent center), about 4 minutes.
- 11
Remove the pot from heat and let it cool for 1 minute so steam subsides. Stir in the heavy cream until evenly combined and the soup turns pale pink.
- 12
Taste the soup from a spoon. Add salt and pepper in small pinches, tasting after each addition, until it tastes balanced and flavorful—not bland or oversalted.
- 13
Ladle the bisque into four bowls, dividing the lobster pieces evenly. Scatter fresh chives or parsley on top if desired. Serve hot.
Tools you’ll need
- cutting board
- sharp chef's knife
- large heavy-bottomed pot (5-quart or larger)
- wooden spoon
- ladle
- four serving bowls
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