A decadent starter or make it a main course. I can sit down with a bowl of this and some bread and be plenty full………………
INGREDIENTS
- 4 (5 oz each) lobster tails, split in half
- 4 cups water
- 1 tablespoon pink Himalayan salt or any salt of your choice
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cups non oak dry white wine
- 3 cups chicken stock or seafood stock
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter plus 1 tablespoons
- 1 cup chopped fennel
- 1 stalk celery chopped
- 1/2 tablespoons of minced garlic
- 1/2 cup chopped shallot
- 1 cup fresh skinless seedless chopped tomato
- 2 tablespoons brandy
- 1/4 cup of raw white rice
- 1 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 bay leaf
- 3 thyme sprig
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- Salt and pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS
- Okay to use frozen tails if fresh are not available. Make sure they are completely thawed out. Split the tails in half with a sharp knife starting at the fan and slice the knife down and through the meat. Devein the split tail.
- Steam the lobster tails, shell-side down in 4 cups salted water. Steam the tails for 5-7 minutes and reserve the steaming water for base of the stock.
- When cool enough to handle, remove the tail meat with a fork to pull out the steamed tail meat in one piece. Chill the lobster meat until ready to use.
- Sauté lobster shells in 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat for five minutes to release the flavors.
- Deglaze the pan scraping bits at the bottom with 2 cups white wine, 3 cups chicken stock or seafood stock and reserved lobster water from the steaming of the tails. Simmer until reduced to 6 cups; about 45 minutes. Then strain the shells from the stock.
- While the stock is simmering prepare the rest of the ingredients. You will need a cup of chopped skinless seedless tomatoes. The easiest way to peel tomatoes is to place them in boiling water for about 30 seconds. The skin will instantly pull away. Cut the tomato in half and scoop out the seeds and chop.
- Sauté fennel and shallot in 1/2 cup unsalted butter until translucent, add minced garlic and sauté for another minute.
- Stir in strained lobster stock, chopped tomato, brandy, raw white rice, tomato paste, paprika, cayenne, bay leafs and thyme sprigs; simmer 45 minutes. Remove bay leafs and thyme sprigs.
- Puree in the soup in batches
- Stir in heavy cream, salt and pepper to your taste and fresh lemon juice to finish off the soup.
- When you are ready to serve the soup, sauté the lobster meat in 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter over medium-high heat, just until warmed through. Slice lobster tails and arrange with toast on bisque.
