Lobster Bisque
Real bisque is made from the shells, not from the lobster meat. They roast for 8 minutes, simmer for 30 in a stock with cognac and tomato, and the meat goes in only at the end, 3 minutes. 75 minutes, 4 servings.
Instructions
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Thawing
Hold the lobster under cold running water for 15 minutes, still in its packaging. HPP lobster needs no longer, the pressure has already done the work.
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Breaking it down
Split the shell lengthwise. After HPP the meat releases on its own, with no boiling. Take the meat from the tail and claws, cut it into 2 cm pieces and keep it in the fridge. Discard the stomach sac from the head. Cut the shells into large pieces.
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Roasting the shells, 8 minutes ⏱ 8 min
Butter and oil in a large pot over medium-high heat, the shells until deep red and smelling of toasted bread. This is where all the flavour is built, do not rush it.
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The vegetables
Onion, carrot, celery and garlic on top of the shells, 5 minutes. Then the tomato paste, one more minute, until it loses its raw edge.
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Deglazing
Pour in the cognac and let it burn off for 30 seconds, then the white wine. Reduce by half, scraping the bottom of the pot.
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The stock, 30 minutes ⏱ 30 min
Add the water, rice, bay leaf and thyme. Low heat, lid ajar. Rice is the classic French thickener, which is why this soup needs no flour.
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Straining and blending
Lift out the large shells and the herbs. Blend the rest until velvety, then pass everything through a fine sieve, pressing hard with a ladle. Whatever stays in the sieve gets discarded.
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Finishing
Cream, salt, white pepper and a few drops of lemon. If it is too thin, give it 5 more minutes over low heat.
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The meat, 3 minutes
Slip the lobster pieces into the hot soup, kept below a simmer. Serve immediately, with a thread of olive oil.
Good to know
Every bisque recipe starts from already boiled lobster, so the meat goes through heat twice and turns grainy. HPP lobster flips the order: hydrostatic pressure releases the meat from the shell without any boiling, so you pull the meat out raw and cook it once, for 3 minutes, at the very end. The shell is not waste, it is the main ingredient. Those 8 minutes of roasting develop the Maillard aromas and the astaxanthin that gives the brick-red colour, and short-grain rice is the classic French thickener, which is why this bisque needs no flour. Homarus americanus, wild caught in the Northwest Atlantic (FAO 21), taken with pots and traps, processed in the United States.
Frequently asked questions
What is lobster bisque?
A French cream soup built from roasted shells, not from the meat. The shells give colour and flavour, and the soup is classically thickened with rice rather than flour.
Can I make bisque from frozen lobster?
Yes, and at home it is the better route. HPP lobster thaws in 15 minutes under cold water and the shell opens without boiling, so the meat goes in raw only at the very end.
How much lobster do I need for 4 servings?
One whole lobster of 650 to 700 g yields about 200 g of meat plus the shells for the stock, which makes 4 servings of bisque as a starter.
What can I use instead of cognac?
Another 60 ml of dry white wine and a teaspoon of wine vinegar. Cognac brings sweetness and body, but the bisque works without alcohol too.
Ready to cook Seriosly?
Authentic taste isn't improvised, it's taken Seriosly.
Lobster Bisque
Lobster Bisque
Real bisque is made from the shells, not from the lobster meat. They roast for 8 minutes, simmer for 30 in a stock with cognac and tomato, and the meat goes in only at the end, 3 minutes. 75 minutes, 4 servings.
Notes
Every bisque recipe starts from already boiled lobster, so the meat goes through heat twice and turns grainy. HPP lobster flips the order: hydrostatic pressure releases the meat from the shell without any boiling, so you pull the meat out raw and cook it once, for 3 minutes, at the very end. The shell is not waste, it is the main ingredient. Those 8 minutes of roasting develop the Maillard aromas and the astaxanthin that gives the brick-red colour, and short-grain rice is the classic French thickener, which is why this bisque needs no flour. Homarus americanus, wild caught in the Northwest Atlantic (FAO 21), taken with pots and traps, processed in the United States.
