Lobster Bisque

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

• 2 x 1 pound cooked lobsters
• 1 cup lobster stock
• 4 tablespoons clarified butter
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 medium onion, minced
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 large carrot, minced
• 1 sprig fresh thyme
• 1 teaspoon chopped garlic
• ¼ cup brandy
• 1 stalk celery, minced
• 2 cups of heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons flour
• ¼ teaspoon paprika
• ½ cup dry sherry
• salt and pepper

Directions

1. Remove all the meat and any tamalley from the lobsters. Place in a bowl and chill. Cut up the lobster shells as small as possible. Heat a medium sized sauté pan and add the butter. When it is really hot add the shells, reduce the heat and cook for a couple of minutes, stirring. Add the minced vegetables and garlic, sprinkle in the flour and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
2. Transfer everything into a large saucepan and deglaze the now empty sauté pan with the sherry. Then add the sherry and any pan scrapings to the large pot. Heat the mixture and slowly add the lobster stock until the bisque thickens. Add the tomato paste, bay leaf, thyme, paprika and cream. Allow to simmer for 5 minutes. Pass the soup through a fine sieve to remove the shell pieces.
3. Put the liquid back into a pan and over a gentle heat for a moment. Float the lobster pieces in the soup, but be careful not to cook them.
4. Serve with a piece of lobster floating in each bowl.