French lobster bisque (bisque d'Homard)
Bisque is a shellfish soup from French cuisine. This version with lobster (bisque d'Homard), cream, and cognac is especially rich in flavor.
Delicious as a fancy starter!
Cook the lobsters for 8 minutes in boiling salted water or court-bouillon, then rinse them under cold, gently running water.
Break the tail and remove the meat. Crack the claws and use a lobster fork to extract the meat. Set the lobster meat aside. Using a large knife, chop the shells of the head, the small legs, and the body of the lobster into rough pieces.
Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a heavy-bottomed pan and cook the lobster shells over high heat for 5 minutes. Add the onion, leek, and fennel, and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring well. Add the garlic and after 1/2 minute, add the tomato paste. Stir and cook for 1 minute. Deglaze with the cognac.
Add the white wine, followed by the stock. Add the bouquet garni and the piment d'Espelette. Stir everything well with a wooden spoon. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover the pan and let it simmer on low heat for 30-40 minutes.
Meanwhile, cut the lobster meat into rough pieces.
Remove the bouquet garni from the pan and strain the mixture through a fine sieve. If you don’t have a fine sieve, you can also mash the lobster shells with a potato masher and then strain the mixture through a regular sieve.
Return the strained soup to a pan and heat it over low heat. First, warm the lobster meat in the soup for 2 minutes, then remove it from the pan. Add the cream and let it simmer on low heat for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
Divide the pieces of lobster among the plates and pour the soup over it.
