Recipes

Summer Lobster Soup

  • Serves

    serves 6

SAVEUR

A wonderful take on the traditional lobster bisque that makes the best of summer's harvest.

Ingredients

  • Salt
  • 1 Tbsp. sugar
  • 3 (1-lb.) hen lobsters
  • 3 Tbsp. vegetable oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, peeled and chopped
  • 1 large leek, trimmed, washed, and chopped
  • 1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
  • 3 ribs celery, chopped
  • 2 ripe tomatoes, cored and chopped
  • 2 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 4 white peppercorns
  • 1 12 cups white wine
  • 12 cup brandy
  • 1 cup rich cream
  • Freshly ground white pepper
  • 1 cup shelled fresh peas, blanched
  • 1 cup shelled young fava beans, blanched and peeled
  • 12-18 baby carrots, peeled and blanched

Instructions

Step 1

Bring 4 quarts salted water and the sugar to a boil in a large pot over high heat. Add lobsters, return to a boil, turn off heat, cover, and allow lobsters to cool in poaching water. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions, leeks, chopped carrots, and celery, and cook until soft, about 7 minutes. Add tomatoes, thyme, bay leaf, peppercorns, and wine. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer gently for 1⁄2 hour.

Step 2

Preheat oven to 400°. Remove lobster meat and roe from shells and set aside separately, reserving poaching water. Put shells into a large pan and roast for 10 minutes. Transfer pan to stovetop over medium heat, add brandy, and ignite with a kitchen match. When flames die out, add shells to vegetables in pot. Add 6 cups reserved poaching water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 1⁄2 hour. Strain through a sieve into another large pot, pressing on shells to extract liquid. Add cream, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Coarsely chop lobster, then add it, roe, peas, favas, and carrots to soup. Cover and refrigerate until slightly chilled but not cold.

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