Peppery Lobster Bisque with Star Croûtons

This makes a very elegant first course for a Christmas or New Year’s dinner. It’s not a simple recipe, but it’s a lovely one and eminently do-able with a little planning.

Guests will appreciate the luxury of lobster; by extracting as much flavor as possible from the single lobster’s shell you’ll make economical use of a premium product. I won’t lie to you: pretty much every step in the preparation of a live lobster will make you feel like Ellen Ripley if Alien had been set in your kitchen. The best advice I can give is to keep your good humor and power through it. The results are well worth it.

Ingredients #

Instructions #

For the star croûtons: #

With a rolling pin, lightly flatten the bread between 2 sheets of waxed paper to a thickness of 1/8 inch. Using a small star cutter, cut out small stars from the bread, reserving the scraps for bread crumbs if desired. Brush each side of the stars with butter, season with salt and pepper, sprinkle very lightly with cayenne, arrange on a baking sheet and bake at 350 F, turning at least once, until golden on both sides. Transfer to a bowl or plate and set aside.

To cook and shell lobster: #

For the soup: #

The steps up to this point can be completed 1 day in advance; cover the lobster meat tightly with plastic film and refrigerate. Do the same for the liquid exuded by the lobster. Put the chopped shells into a plastic freezer bag and put them in the freezer.

To the lobster liquid, add enough water to make 6 cups of liquid. Melt the butter in a 4-quart saucepan or pot. When the foam subsides, add the lobster shells and cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to blister and turn intensely red. Add the liquid and 1 tsp salt, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce to medium-low and simmer for 30 minutes uncovered. Skim off any foam or scum that surfaces.

Strain the broth through a fine sieve into a large measuring cup. You should have 4 cups of broth. If you’ve got more, simmer the broth to reduce further. If you’ve got less, add water to make 4 cups.

Clean and dry the pot you’ve been working with, and add the butter over medium heat. When the foam begins to subside, add the onion, carrot and garlic. Cook until the vegetables are soft and the onion is translucent but not brown. Sprinkle the flour over the aromatics and cook, stirring, until the flour browns to a light, golden color (about 2 minutes).

Add the wine, tomato paste, thyme and bay leaf. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring, until the mixture is slightly reduced (about 3 minutes). Add the lobster broth and simmer uncovered over medium heat until slightly reduced (about 5 minutes). Add the chopped lobster meat and simmer for 2 minutes to heat through. Remove the bay leaf.

In a food processor, puree the mixture in batches until very smooth. Strain through a sieve back into the pot, pushing on the solids to extract as much flavor as possible.

Stir in the cream and sherry. If the bisque is pale, a pinch or two of paprika will add a blush of color. Season to taste with salt, pepper and dashes tabasco, and simmer the bisque over low heat until slightly thickened (10-15 minutes).

The bisque can be prepared up to this point 1 day in advance. Refrigerate the soup and the lobster garnish separately, reheating the soup over medium-low heat before serving.

In a small sauté pan, melt a tablespoon of butter over medium heat. When the foam begins to subside, add the diced lobster garnish and cook it, tossing, for just a scant minute. Add a splash of brandy, ignite, and cook just until the flames subside.

Garnish each bowl of soup with a few chunks of sautéed lobster meat and a few star croutons, and serve at once.