Mmmm.....lobster.

Lobster is on sale at HEB right now, so I decided to get one just for fun last night. I split the tail, sprinkled with a little garlic powder and butter and broiled in the toaster oven. Yummy! Unfortunately, I wasn't sure how it was going to turn out, so I only got one lobster. For two people. Those buggers look big, until you see the curled up little tail next to a giant potato. Fortunately, we had lots of sides.

Duke got to enjoy some of the spoils as well. I don't have any crackers to get into the claws, so I just whacked it a few times with our meat tenderizer. That was messy. Duke ever so graciously cleaned the floors for us, and then kept circling the floors looking for more.

With the remnants of the lobster, I made a lobster stock. Just the smell of that was heavenly. I kept hovering over the pot to enjoy the aroma. Today I made lobster bisque with the stock. I wasn't quite sure how well it would work, since I only had one lobster, and my recipe calls for 4....so I just kind of made it up as I went. I forgot to run by the store, so I didn't have any sherry. But still, BEST lobster bisque I've ever had. You know you want some.


Lobster Bisque, recipe courtesy Billie Bourque, Bank Street Lobster House, as provided by Food Network.

This recipe was provided by professional chefs and has been scaled down from a bulk recipe provided by a restaurant. The FN chefs have not tested this recipe, in the proportions indicated, and therefore, we cannot make any representation as to the results.

4 (1 1/2-pound) lobsters
1 1/2 cups tomato paste
1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped onion
1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped celery, including leaves
1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped carrot
1 sprig thyme
3 sprigs flat-leaf parsley, plus extra, for garnish
1/2 teaspoon saffron
6 cups heavy cream
1 cup cream sherry
2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup cornstarch

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.

***I used 1/2 cup each of carrots, onions, and celery; 4 oz of tomato paste, 1 sprig thyme, a sprinkle of dried parsley, and 1/4 teaspoon saffron. I have no idea how much cream or cornstarch I used, I just added it until it looked about the right color/consistancy.