October 19: National Seafood Bisque Day

MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.06

Title: Lobster & Shrimp Bisque
Categories: Seafood, Soups, Vegetables, Dairy, Citrus
Yield: 6 Servings

16 c Water
1 1/2 c Dry white wine
2 x 1 1/4 lb live lobsters
3/4 lb Large shrimp; shelled,
- reserving shells, and
- deveined
2 md Onions
1 Fennel bulb; chopped
- reserving fronds
4 lg Carrots; chopped
1 Celery rib; chopped
2 Bay leaves
3/4 ts Dried thyme; crumbled
1/4 c Fresh parsley sprigs
1/4 ts Black peppercorns
1 Navel orange's zest;
- removed in strips with a
- vegetable peeler
3 cl Garlic; minced
2 tb Olive oil
1/4 ts Saffron threads
28 oz Can whole tomatoes; drained,
- chopped
1/4 c Heavy cream
1 1/2 tb Pernod
1 tb Fresh lemon juice

In a large (5 to 6 quart) kettle combine water and 1 cup
wine and bring to a boil. Plunge lobsters into liquid
headfirst and return liquid to a boil. Simmer lobsters,
covered, 9 minutes. With tongs plunge lobsters immediately
into cold water to stop cooking, reserving cooking liquid.

Working over a bowl to catch the juices, twist off tails
and claws and reserve juices. Discard tomalley, head sacs,
and any roe and remove meat from tails and claws,
reserving it separately.

To reserved cooking liquid add lobster shells, reserved
lobster juices and shrimp shells, 1 onion, quartered, 1
cup fennel, half of carrots, celery, 1 bay leaf, thyme,
parsley, peppercorns, and zest. Simmer mixture gently,
uncovered, skimming froth occasionally, 1 1/4 hours.

Strain stock through a large sieve set over a large bowl
and pour into cleaned kettle. Boil stock until reduced to
about 6 cups and return to bowl. Stock, cooked lobster,
and shelled raw shrimp keep, covered separately and
chilled, 1 day.

In a kettle cook remaining onion, chopped fine, remaining
1 cup fennel, remaining carrots, remaining bay leaf,
garlic, and salt and pepper to taste in oil over moderate
heat, stirring, until vegetables are softened.

Add remaining 1/2 cup wine and boil until mostly
evaporated. Add saffron, tomatoes, and shellfish stock and
simmer, covered, 20 minutes. Add shrimp and reserved
lobster claw meat (reserving tail meat) and simmer 2
minutes, or until shrimp are cooked through. Remove soup
from heat and remove 6 shrimp, reserving them. Discard bay
leaf.

In a blender puree soup in batches until smooth,
transferring as it is pureed to a very fine sieve set over
a saucepan. Force soup through sieve, pressing hard on
solids, and whisk in cream, Pernod, and salt and pepper to
taste. Heat bisque over moderate heat until hot (do not
boil) and stir in lemon juice.

Chop fine reserved shrimp and lobster tail meat and divide
among heated soup bowls. Ladle soup over shellfish and
garnish with reserved fennel fronds.

Makes about 7 cups.

Gourmet | March 1994

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