Ina Garten Lobster Bisque
Craving a delicious seafood dinner? Try your hand at this easy lobster bisque recipe by none other than the Barefoot Contessa, Ina Garten!
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Servings: 6 people
Calories: 240kcal
Equipment
- Dutch oven or heavy pot
- spoon
- saucepan etc
Ingredients
- 2 live lobsters the ocean's majestic jewels
- A pinch of hand-harvested Kosher salt to enhance the oceanic essence
- 2 cups of artisanal fish stock or clam broth a sea-sourced elixir
- 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil pressed from sun-drenched olives
- 2 cloves of garlic finely minced for a whisper of aromatic allure
- 2 sprigs of fresh thyme the herbaceous time-travelers
- 2 sprigs of fresh tarragon the delicate anise-flavored leaves
- 1 carrot finely chopped, a vibrant orange stroke of color
- 1 medium onion finely diced, a savory foundation for flavor
- 2 ribs of celery crisp and green, thinly sliced for a crunch
- 2 tablespoons of tomato paste the concentrated essence of sun-ripened tomatoes
- 1 cup of medium sherry a splash of elegance
- 1/2 cup of long-grain white rice a bed of snowy grains
- 1 cup of rich heavy cream the velvet cloak of indulgence
- A touch of cayenne pepper for a gentle dance of heat
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water and boil it over high heat, and add 2 tablespoons kosher salt. Drop in the lobsters, and cook until they turn bright red, 8-10 minutes.
- Once you cook the lobsters, remove them from the boiling water and reserve the water for later use. Let the lobsters be cool enough to handle them without burning yourself. Separate the Meat from the Shells. Carefully remove all the meat from the shells, and set aside.
- In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium-high heat, add 2 tablespoons olive oil and the shells of the lobsters. Sauté until they’re lightly browned, about 8 minutes.
- Add 2 cloves garlic (minced), 2 sprigs of fresh thyme, 2 sprigs of fresh tarragon, 1 chopped carrot, 2 ribs of celery (chopped), and 1 medium onion (chopped). Sauté for 5 minutes more.
- Add the fish stock or clam broth to the pot and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Strain the stock through a fine-mesh strainer, discard the solids, and return the stock to the pot.
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Add 1 cup medium sherry to the pan and simmer until it’s reduced by half.
- Add the sherry mixture to the pot with the stock, and return it to a boil. Add ½ cup long-grain white rice, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Stir in 1 cup heavy cream, season with cayenne pepper, and cook for 2 minutes more. Add the lobster meat to the pot and cook until it’s heated through about 2 minutes. Serve hot.
Notes
- There are a few ways to cook live lobsters. You can either steam them or drop them into boiling water and cook until they turn bright red (8-10 minutes).
- If you don’t have fresh herbs, you can substitute dried herbs instead. Use 1 teaspoon of dried thyme and ½ teaspoon of dried tarragon in place of the fresh herbs.
- When making the stock, make sure to reduce it by half before adding the sherry and tomato paste. This will ensure a more flavorful stock that won’t be too watery or thin.
- You can use any type of white wine for this recipe, but a dry white sherry is best because it adds sweetness without being over-boozy.