French · Soup · Hard
Bisque de Homard
Velvety lobster soup enriched with cream and cognac. The most luxurious thing you can do with shells.
The whole recipe in 60 seconds
Bisque de Homard, in 5 ideas
- The shells are where the flavor lives; never throw them away.
- Crushing the shells exposes more surface area for a deeper stock.
- Flambeing the cognac burns off the harsh alcohol while keeping the flavor.
- Strain through a fine mesh and press firmly; the last drops are the richest.
- A drizzle of cream and a pinch of cayenne on top is the classic finish.
What you need
Ingredients
- 2 lobsters (1 1/2 lbs each), or shells from 4 lobster tails
- 4 tbsp butter
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 carrot, chopped
- 1 celery stalk, chopped
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1/4 cup cognac
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 4 cups fish or chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 bay leaf
- Salt and cayenne to taste
How to make it
Directions
- Cook the lobsters in boiling salted water 8 minutes. Remove the meat and chop; reserve the shells.
- Crush the shells and saute in butter with the onion, carrot, and celery until fragrant, 8 minutes.
- Add tomato paste and cook 2 minutes. Pour in the cognac and flambe carefully (or just simmer 2 minutes).
- Add wine, broth, and bay leaf. Simmer 30 minutes.
- Strain, pressing hard on the solids to extract every drop. Return the liquid to the pot.
- Stir in the cream, add the lobster meat, and warm through. Season with salt and cayenne.
Money saver. Ask the fish counter for lobster shells or bodies; they often sell them cheaply or give them away, and they make the same superb bisque.