Spiny Lobster Pumpkin Bisque
Spiny Lobster Pumpkin Bisque
Ingredients
Bisque
1 whole spiny lobster
1 large white or yellow onion, chopped
3 medium carrots, chopped
3 stalks celery, diced
4 cloves garlic, smashed
3 tablespoons tomato paste
3 tablespoons canned pumpkin
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/3 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/3 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 1/2 cups dry white wine, divided
1/2 cup dry sherry
6 cups lobster stock
1 sprig fresh tarragon
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
Salted pepitas (optional) for garnish
Stock
Lobster head, shells, legs
2 cloves garlic, smashed
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 bay leaf
10 cups water
Lobster stock
Note: The lobster stock can be made ahead of time with shells you've saved (frozen) from past spiny lobster meals or as follows.
Steam whole spiny lobster for 8 to 10 minutes.
Remove tail meat and reserve in refrigerator for bisque.
Add the rest of the lobster, legs and all, to a countertop blender and add 1 cup white wine, 1 cup water.
Blend in pulses — avoid grinding shells down to dust. Stop when largest pieces of lobster are fragmented into pieces around 1 inch across.
Add slurry and lobster shell fragments to a large stockpot over medium-high heat.
Bring to a boil, then turn down heat to simmer when liquid has mostly evaporated off. Add 3 tablespoons of unsalted butter and sauté lobster shells, stirring frequently, for 3 minutes.
Add 10 cups of water and 1 bay leaf to shells in stockpot and bring to a boil, then turn down to simmer for 1 hour or longer.
Strain solids and use stock in bisque.
Bisque
At the bottom of a large stockpot over medium-low heat, sauté garlic, onion, carrots, and celery with 2 tablespoons unsalted butter for 10 minutes until softened.
Add spices, fresh tarragon, tomato paste, canned pumpkin and three tablespoons of flour.
Stir to combine, then add 1/2 cup white wine and 1/2 cup sherry.
Turn up the heat to medium-high until half the liquid is evaporated, then add 6 cups lobster stock and bay leaf.
Simmer ingredients together over low heat for 1 hour, then use immersion blender or countertop blender to blend contents of stockpot. If using a countertop blender, allow stockpot contents to cool before blending.
Blend until creamy. A strainer can be used to achieve the right texture if your blender is not powerful enough.
If using a countertop blender, return to stockpot.
Taste the contents and add salt and pepper to your preference. Add 1 cup heavy cream to hot stockpot contents and stir to mix.
Remove lobster meat from refrigerator and chop into 1-inch pieces.
When plating, add bisque to bowls, top with lobster meat, and garnish with pepitas (optional).
Serve with toasted sourdough and enjoy.
Recipe from Fishful Future
Photo courtesy of Emily Miller