Bisque Recipes

Steps:

• Heat the butter in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook, stirring, until crisp and most of the fat has rendered, about 1 minute. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside. Lower the heat to medium, add the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until soft and fragrant, about 8 minutes.
• Stir in the flour and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Pour in the broth and tomatoes and bring to a boil while whisking constantly. Tie the parsley sprigs, thyme, and bay leaf together with a piece of kitchen twine and add to the pot. Lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
• When the soup base is cool, remove and discard the herb bundle. Working in batches, transfer the mixture to a blender and puree until smooth. Using a sieve over a large bowl, strain the tomato puree. Return the puree to the pot and reheat over medium heat.
• Whisk the heavy cream and salt into the soup and season with pepper to taste. Divide among warm soup bowls, garnish with the crispy bacon, and serve immediately.

Steps:

• Fill large stockpot with water and bring to a boil. There should be enough water to cover lobsters completely when immersed. Place live lobsters in boiling water head first to minimize splashing. When water re-boils, turn down the heat, and simmer for 20 minutes. Do not overcook lobsters. Remove lobsters from the pot using tongs; save all the water in stockpot as this is now a flavorful stock to be re-used.
• Place 10 cups of stock in a clean stockpot and put on low heat. Clean claws and tails of lobsters and reserve meat, legs, and swimmerets. After lobsters are cleaned, place shells in stockpot with 10 cups of stock. Cut bodies in quarters and place in stockpot, making sure to include all roe and tomalley in pot. Add 1 cup tomato paste and simmer on low heat for 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally. Be careful not to have heat so high as to burn stock. Pour entire contents of pot through sieve into clean stockpot; this should now be 8 cups of glorious red stock.
• Place onions, celery, carrots, thyme, parsley and saffron in a large saute pan, add 4 cups stock from original stock pot and put on high heat for 30 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes. Add 1/2 cup tomato paste and black pepper. Turn down heat and simmer 30 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes. Press entire contents of saute pan through sieve into stockpot of 8 cups previously made stock.
• To finish Bisque, put pot on medium heat. Add heavy cream slowly, using whisk to blend. Add sherry. Simmer on low heat for 20 minutes; bisque will thicken slightly. Mix cornstarch with 1/4 cup water and slowly add to bisque with whisk. Simmer on low heat for another 20 minutes.
• If you prefer your bisque to be thicker, you may add more cornstarch, or perhaps, flour, but have found the bisque thickens nicely over low heat, and additional cornstarch or flour takes away from the wonderful flavor.
• Place pieces of previous cleaned lobster meat in bowl and add 1 cup of bisque. Garnish with legs and swimmerets around the bowl and one parsley leaf in center, if desired.

Steps:

• Boil water, add salt followed by Lobster, boil for 6 minutes. Remove lobster from water with tongs and place in cold water to cool. Reserve cooking liquid, this is your fish stock. If opting to use a ready cooked lobster you can substitute with other fish stock from a cube.
• Once cool enough to handle, place lobster on its back and with a chefs knife, cut the lobster from underneath, all the way from the tail to the head. Rinse away any tomally from the head cavities. Remove and refrigerate claw and tail meat.
• Heat 25 g. of the butter in your soup pot. Add the crushed lobster shells. Each piece should be not more than roughly 1 square inch. All pieces should be in contact with the butter, fry at medium high heat for 5 minutes until colour and smell is maximised.
• Deglaze the pot with the white wine, leaving the shells in the pot. Add the parsley, reserved salted boiling water and the chicken stock. Leave to boil slowly for 45 minutes. Place a lid on the pot after half the cooking time.
• Meanwhile, prep your veg and sautee in the rest of the butter. Once the stock is ready, drain the stock, taking care to remove any shell and parsley. Add the stock to the vegetables with the Thyme, Bayleaf, Tomato Pure, Brandy and Sherry. Boil slowly under a lid for another 45 minutes.
• When ready to serve, blend the bisque, add cream and reheat. Heat a tiny knob of butter with half the lemon juice in a pan, add the reserved lobster meat, fry over a moderate heat for 1 minutes. Add the rest of the lemon juice to the bisque. Place the lobster meat in a heated soup bowl and serve the bisque in front of the guest for added drama.

Steps:

• Sauté minced shallots in butter until soft.
• Add the flour and stir with whisk for 5 minutes on low heat, set aside.
• Bring one quart of water to a boil and add chicken base, clams, crab, shrimp and whole pieces of salmon and cod.
• Return to boil, lower heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
• Strain the stock, reserving the seafood.
• Stir the shallot mixture into the stock.
• Add the heavy cream and half and half to the stock, bring to a simmer on low heat and cook until thickened, about 5 minutes.
• Chunk the salmon and cod and add all of the seafood back into the soup pot.
• Add the sherry and heat through, no more than 3 minutes.

Steps:

• Bring 3 or 4 cups stock to a boil and add 5 chopped roasted peppers, a pinch of paprika and minced garlic; reduce heat and simmer until peppers are very tender, about 5 minutes. Purée until smooth, then whisk in as much cream as you like.

Steps:

• Chill unopened can of evaporated milk in the refrigerator overnight.
• Dissolve jello in hot water and chill till partially set.
• Whip till light and fluffy.
• Add lemon juice and sugar.
• Whip the chilled milk; fold in jello mixture.
• Line the bottom of a 9x13 pan with half of the graham cracker crumbs.
• Gently pour bisque mixture into pan (if you pour to fast you will move the crumbs).
• Top with remaining crumbs.
• Chill till set; about 5 hours or a little less.
• Serves 12.