Description
Ina Garten’s luxurious lobster bisque elevates seafood comfort to gourmet heights. Rich cream, delicate lobster meat, and aromatic herbs blend seamlessly, inviting you to savor each spoonful of this classic French-inspired delicacy.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1 lb (454 grams) cooked lobster meat, chopped
- 4 cups (946 milliliters) seafood or fish stock
- 1 ¼ cups (296 milliliters) dry white wine
Vegetables and Aromatics:
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
- 2 stalks celery, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 sprigs of fresh thyme
Additional Ingredients:
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (118 milliliters) heavy cream
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Place a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat and melt unsalted butter (113 grams or 4 ounces) until it becomes golden and fragrant.
- Introduce finely diced yellow onions, peeled carrots, and crisp celery into the butter. Sauté the aromatic vegetables until they transform into a soft, translucent mixture, approximately 6-8 minutes.
- Incorporate minced garlic cloves, sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, and rich tomato paste. Stir the ingredients thoroughly, allowing the flavors to meld for 1-2 minutes.
- Dust the vegetable mixture with all-purpose flour, carefully stirring to create a smooth, pale roux that will help thicken the bisque.
- Gradually pour in seafood stock (473 milliliters or 16 fluid ounces) and dry white wine (120 milliliters or 4 fluid ounces), whisking continuously to prevent lumps from forming.
- Add whole bay leaf and fresh thyme sprigs to enhance the depth of flavor. Reduce heat to low and allow the liquid to simmer gently, occasionally stirring, for 25-35 minutes.
- Remove the bay leaf and thyme stems, then transfer the soup to a blender. Purée until the mixture becomes silky and uniform in texture.
- Return the puréed bisque to the pot, introducing heavy cream (240 milliliters or 8 fluid ounces) and carefully folded chunks of cooked lobster meat.
- Warm the bisque over medium-low heat for 4-5 minutes, ensuring the lobster is heated through without becoming tough.
- Ladle the creamy bisque into warm serving bowls and garnish with freshly chopped chives for a burst of color and mild onion flavor.
Notes
- Leftover bisque stays fresh for 2-3 days when sealed in an airtight container, reheating gently preserves its luxurious texture.
- Blending transforms ingredients into a silky smooth base that highlights delicate seafood and vegetable nuances.
- Substituting half-and-half creates a lighter version without compromising the soup’s elegant flavor profile.
- Chives add a bright, fresh garnish that introduces visual interest and subtle onion undertones.
- Heavy cream ensures a decadent, velvety consistency that elevates the entire culinary experience.
- Fresh thyme and bay leaves infuse the bisque with authentic, aromatic French-inspired complexity.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 550 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 32 g
- Saturated Fat: 19 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 29 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 160 mg