Rich creamy lobster bisque (Printable)
Smooth, creamy bisque with tender lobster, cognac, and fresh aromatics, ideal for elegant dining.
# What You'll Need:
→ Seafood
01 - 2 live lobsters (each approximately 1½ lb) or 1¼ cups cooked lobster meat
→ Aromatics & Vegetables
02 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
03 - 1 tbsp olive oil
04 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
05 - 1 carrot, peeled and diced
06 - 1 celery stalk, diced
07 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
08 - 1 tbsp tomato paste
→ Liquids & Seasonings
09 - ½ cup dry white wine
10 - 2 tbsp cognac or brandy
11 - 4 cups fish or seafood stock
12 - 1 bay leaf
13 - 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves or ½ tsp dried thyme
14 - ½ tsp paprika
15 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Cream Finish
16 - ¾ cup heavy cream
→ Garnish
17 - 1 tbsp chopped chives or parsley (optional)
# Directions:
01 - Steam or boil live lobsters for 8 to 10 minutes until bright red. Cool, remove meat from tails, claws, and knuckles. Reserve shells and chop meat into bite-size pieces; refrigerate.
02 - Heat butter and olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add lobster shells, onion, carrot, celery, and garlic. Sauté for 8 to 10 minutes until vegetables soften and shells release fragrance.
03 - Incorporate tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes. Add white wine and cognac, scraping browned bits from the pot. Simmer for 2 minutes to reduce slightly.
04 - Pour in seafood stock, add bay leaf, thyme, and paprika. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 25 minutes.
05 - Remove and discard lobster shells and bay leaf. Purée the soup until smooth using an immersion blender or working in batches in a blender.
06 - Return soup to the pot, stir in heavy cream, and bring just to a simmer. Add reserved lobster meat and heat gently for 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
07 - Ladle the bisque into bowls, garnish with chopped chives or parsley if desired, and serve hot.
# Cooking Tips:
01 -
- The soup tastes like you've been simmering it all day, but comes together in just over an hour—which means you look like a culinary magician without the stress.
- One bowl feels like a celebration, making even a quiet Tuesday night feel like a special occasion worth remembering.
- The richness comes from building flavor layer by layer, so every spoonful tastes intentional and deeply satisfying.
02 -
- Never let the soup boil after you add the cream—it can separate and break, turning silky into grainy in seconds. A gentle simmer is your friend.
- The shells are not waste; they're the foundation of everything magical in this pot. Roasting them in a 200°C (400°F) oven for 10 minutes before simmering deepens the flavor dramatically and is worth every extra minute.
- If lobster feels too precious or intimidating, shrimp shells work beautifully and cost far less—the technique remains identical, and the result is equally impressive.
03 -
- Keep your stock and cream at similar temperatures before combining them—cold cream hitting a hot soup can sometimes cause it to break or separate slightly.
- The immersion blender is your secret weapon here; it creates a smoother, more luxurious texture than a regular blender because it works gently right in the pot.