This lobster bisque recipe has it’s roots in New London, CT. Billy Borque made the original recipe for the Bank Street Lobster House (no longer there). Bobby Flay loved it, and came to film the recipe for his show on Food Network, “The Best Of.” Bobby’s Recipe is on the Food Network Website. It turns out that Billy sold me one of my first and most beloved guitars at Caruso Music when he worked there. Here he is making bisque at my house during one of my parties. We served it at the Ketofest 2018 VIP party, garnished with low-carb croutons from Fox Hill Kitchens.
To ketofy this recipe, just omit the onion, carrots, and ½ cup of the tomato paste. Add tarragon, and replace the cornstarch with 1 tbsp of xanthan gum. The result is the best bisque you’ve ever tasted. I promise!
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.
Pour or ladle 10 cups of the stock into a clean stockpot and put on low heat.
Clean claws and tails of lobsters and reserve meat, legs, and swimmerets. Here's a picture of chef Robert Ramsay from RD86 breaking down 40 lobsters for bisque for the Ketofest 2018 VIP Party.
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 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 celery, thyme, parsley, tarragon 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 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.
Remove from heat for 10 minutes. Sprinkle in xanthan gum lightly while whisking vigorously. Bring back to a boil and immediately turn down to low. Simmer on low heat for another 20 minutes.
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. Here's a picture of Ketofest volunteers breaking up lobster meat and serving the bisque, sans swimmerets.
Nice…
Oh, I can’t wait to make this…