It is light and luscious and doesn’t spoil your appetite for the feast that follows. The silky and creamy yet light bisque is the star of the show, while small chunks of lobster play a supporting role. It has a rich lobster flavor and a velvety, sumptuous texture.
An Updated and Easier Lobster Bisque
I learned to make traditional lobster bisque from a mentor-chef while working at a restaurant. Lobster bisque used to be fancy French restaurant fare, not typically under the purview of home cooks. It was a recipe created to put lobster shells to good use. Traditionally, the shells were ground up and strained to make a lobster stock thickened with rice or beurre manié (a softened butter and flour mixture) and cream. The mixture is then flavored with sherry. The lobster meat was reserved for dishes like lobster thermidor—none were added to the bisque. This updated lobster bisque recipe is similar: the lobster shells, cream, and sherry are used to flavor the stock, which is thickened with beurre manié. In my version, I don’t grind the lobster shells—it’s too much work and necessary to get lots of lobster flavor. Plus, I steam the lobsters, pull the meat, and add it back to the bisque with a little lemon juice to cut the richness and brighten the flavor.
What’s a Bisque Anyway?
A bisque is an intensely flavored, smooth, and creamy soup. It’s not chunky and doesn’t have large bits of meat or vegetables like chowder or other soups. It is often associated with crustaceans like lobster, shrimp, crayfish, and crab. Modern versions are made with vegetables like mushrooms, tomatoes, or red bell pepper.
The Best Lobster for Lobster Bisque
A live lobster is the best choice because the water used to cook the lobster becomes the stock for the bisque. You could buy a pre-cooked lobster and use fish stock or clam juice to flavor the bisque. This is also a good option if you can’t face cooking a live lobster. Could you use frozen lobster tails? I do not recommend it because there aren’t enough shells—this is where all the flavor comes from—to make a good stock. You would also need to buy a lot of them (about 2 pounds), which gets pricey. The best bang for your buck would be to buy a live lobster. If you can’t find live or pre-cooked lobster locally, refer to this post for some of our favorite lobster delivery options.
How to Serve Lobster Bisque
Open a bottle of bubbly. You deserve to and the bisque pairs beautifully with it. Chilled white wine would be good, too. It is a light meal, so serve it with a crisp salad and some French bread for something special but not too substantial.
Plan Ahead
If you’re planning ahead for a special occasion, here are some tips on how to prepare the lobster bisque:
Three months ahead: Add the lobster meat to the thickened stock, but do not add the cream. Cool it to room temperature first, then freeze it in a freezer-safe container. When you’re ready to serve, thaw it in the fridge overnight then reheat it in a pot over low heat. Stir in the cream and lemon juice.Two days ahead: Store the thickened stock and the lobster meat separately in the refrigerator for up to two days. When you’re ready to serve, reheat the stock in a pot over low heat. Stir in the cream and lemon juice. When it’s hot, add the lobster meat.
More Seafood Soups and Stews
Quick Easy Fish Stew Easy Miso Fish Soup with Soba Moqueca (Brazilian Fish Stew) Fish Chowder Boullabaisse
In an 8- to 10-quart pot set over high heat, bring 6 cups water and the salt to a boil. Add the lobster, head first and cover the pot with a lid. Adjust the heat to a low boil, and steam for 18 to 20 minutes for a large lobster or 15 to 18 minutes for two small lobsters. The lobster will not be fully submerged in the water. When it’s done, the shell will be bright red. You should be able to twist off a leg easily. With tongs, remove the lobster and set it on a rimmed baking sheet to cool. Pour the lobster cooking water into a second pot and set it aside for when you make the stock. Rinse off any tomalley—the green gunky stuff stuck to the meat—under cold running water. Pat the meat dry with a paper towel. Cut the large pieces of meat into smaller bite-sized pieces and transfer them to the bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use. With your hands or kitchen shears, break or cut the shells into 2- to 3-inch pieces. These will be used to flavor the stock. Stir in the onion, carrot, celery, thyme sprigs, and garlic. Cook stirring often for 5 minutes, until the vegetables soften. Stir in the tomato paste, cayenne pepper, and bay leaf. Cook and stir for 2 minutes to concentrate the flavors. Add 5 cups of the lobster cooking water and the reserved juices on the baking sheet. If you don’t have the full amount of lobster cooking water, add additional water to make 5 cups of liquid. Add the wine and the remaining 1 cup water. Bring it to a boil then lower the heat to maintain a simmer. Cover the pot with a lid and cook for 45 minutes. If the bisque is too thin, whisk in more beurre manié using a ratio of 1 part butter to 1 part flour. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes for the flour to thicken the bisque. The consistency should be light and creamy, not thick and heavy. If the bisque thickens too much, add more lobster stock or water, a little at a time. Add the cream and bring it to a simmer again. Stir in the lobster meat and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until the lobster is heated through. Stir in the lemon juice. Taste and add more salt if you’d like. Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 2 days in a lidded container. It can be frozen for up to 3 months, but you do run the risk of it breaking (the cream curdles and separates) when you reheat it. To mitigate this, slowly reheat the bisque in a pot over low heat, whisking often and diligently so that it stays creamy and smooth. Did you love the recipe? Leave us stars below!
