I would say this is one of the best recipes I have ever made except for the fact that as written, I would have killed all my guests because they would have had shell pieces stuck in their throat. As you can see in the pictures, I strained the soup through a fine meshed sieve to catch all the shell pieces and it was a pain in the behind. Even after using the sieve and an immersion blender to grind up everything, there were still a couple of noticeable pieces in the soup. Breaking up the shells and cooking them with the vegetables is a big mistake in my opinion. I understand you want the flavor, but it's dangerous and adds difficulty to the recipe. There are 2 options that I can see to make the recipe safer for guests, but easier for you even though it will add time to the process:
1. After getting all the meat from the cooked lobster, boil the shells (don't break them up) in the saved cooking liquid with added water. Then you can strain the liquid.
2. Put the shells in cheese cloth.
The problem that I see with option 2 is that you will still have to get all the good stuff off the cheese cloth and it will take time and be messy. Option 1 will increase the overall preparation time, but it will make the process easier and safer. :)
Another thing is that the pot boiled over when cooking the lobsters. It may be due to the altitude since I am in Denver. It was odd to me that I couldn't leave the lid on. The liquid would foam up and overflow the pot if I left the lid on for too long.
Because of the time involved I definitely recommend that you make the soup a day ahead and assemble and serve the next day.
I increased the recipe to 3 lobsters and everything else in proportion. I have listed my version, not the original and included my idea to boil the shells separately from the soup base.
3 1-1/2 lb. live lobsters
3 T olive oil
2 carrots chopped
3 celery ribs chopped
3-5 cloves of garlic crushed
1-1/2 onions chopped
Fresh thyme (6 sprigs) or 3/4 tsp dried
Fresh tarragon (6 sprigs) or 1/4 tsp dried
3 T tomato paste
1-1/2 c white wine
3 c clam broth
3/4 c uncooked rice
Sherry to taste
Salt
Cayenne pepper
COOK THE LOBSTERS AND REMOVE THE MEAT FROM THE SHELLS
In a large saucepan, sautee the vegetables and herbs in olive oil until onions are translucent. Add tomato paste. Add white wine. Add clam broth and 2 cups of lobster cooking liquid.
Simmer and cook covered, 1 hour. Cool.
Add the rice and cook for at least 30 minutes until grains are mushy.
Use an immersion blender to blend the liquid, vegetables, and rice together until smooth. Stir in the sherry to taste. If it's too thick, add more lobster cooking liquid (or fish stock or water).
Up to this point, this can be done a day before, refrigerated, and assembled the next day.
ASSEMBLE
Add the lobster meat to the bisque.
Heat through and season with salt and cayenne pepper to taste.
Top each bowl with a swirl of cream and fresh chopped tarragon (optional).
I increased the recipe to 3 lobsters and everything else in proportion. I have listed my version, not the original and included my idea to boil the shells separately from the soup base.
3 1-1/2 lb. live lobsters
3 T olive oil
2 carrots chopped
3 celery ribs chopped
3-5 cloves of garlic crushed
1-1/2 onions chopped
Fresh thyme (6 sprigs) or 3/4 tsp dried
Fresh tarragon (6 sprigs) or 1/4 tsp dried
3 T tomato paste
1-1/2 c white wine
3 c clam broth
3/4 c uncooked rice
Sherry to taste
Salt
Cayenne pepper
COOK THE LOBSTERS AND REMOVE THE MEAT FROM THE SHELLS
Put one inch of water in the bottom of a large pot with 1 tsp salt.
Bring the water to a boil.
Toss in the lobsters and cover tightly.
Cook for 12 minutes (lobsters should have turned bright red.)
With tongs, remove the lobsters to a bowl. SAVE the cooking liquid.
When the lobsters are cool enough to handle, remove the meat from the tail and claws and from as much of the rest as you have the patience for; dump any liquid that comes out of the shells back in the pot.
Chop the meat into bite-sized chunks and smaller and set aside in a bowl in the refrigerator.
Keep all the shells and remaining innards.
MAKE THE BISQUE
In the pot that you cooked the lobsters, toss the shells and innards back in, add 2 cups of water. Break the shells up just enough so the water covers them. Bring to a boil, turn down heat to medium low and simmer for up to 2 hours. Strain the shells and innards out and reserve the liquid. You should have at least 4 cups of liquid.
Toss in the lobsters and cover tightly.
Cook for 12 minutes (lobsters should have turned bright red.)
With tongs, remove the lobsters to a bowl. SAVE the cooking liquid.
When the lobsters are cool enough to handle, remove the meat from the tail and claws and from as much of the rest as you have the patience for; dump any liquid that comes out of the shells back in the pot.
Chop the meat into bite-sized chunks and smaller and set aside in a bowl in the refrigerator.
Keep all the shells and remaining innards.
MAKE THE BISQUE
In the pot that you cooked the lobsters, toss the shells and innards back in, add 2 cups of water. Break the shells up just enough so the water covers them. Bring to a boil, turn down heat to medium low and simmer for up to 2 hours. Strain the shells and innards out and reserve the liquid. You should have at least 4 cups of liquid.
In a large saucepan, sautee the vegetables and herbs in olive oil until onions are translucent. Add tomato paste. Add white wine. Add clam broth and 2 cups of lobster cooking liquid.
Simmer and cook covered, 1 hour. Cool.
Add the rice and cook for at least 30 minutes until grains are mushy.
Use an immersion blender to blend the liquid, vegetables, and rice together until smooth. Stir in the sherry to taste. If it's too thick, add more lobster cooking liquid (or fish stock or water).
Up to this point, this can be done a day before, refrigerated, and assembled the next day.
ASSEMBLE
Add the lobster meat to the bisque.
Heat through and season with salt and cayenne pepper to taste.
Top each bowl with a swirl of cream and fresh chopped tarragon (optional).
 |
| Strainer with shell bits |
No comments:
Post a Comment