Ingredients:

  • 2 live lobsters (about 1 1/2 lbs/680g each)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil (15 ml)
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (2.5 ml)
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper (1.25 ml)
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (30g)
  • 1 large onion, chopped (approx. 200g)
  • 2 carrots, chopped (approx. 150g)
  • 2 celery stalks, chopped (approx. 150g)
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/4 cup tomato paste (70g)
  • 1/2 cup dry sherry (120ml)
  • 6 cups chicken broth (1.4L)
  • 1 cup heavy cream (240ml)
  • 2 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (1.25 ml)
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • Chopped fresh chives
  • Lobster meat (reserved from butchering lobsters)
  • A swirl of crème fraîche (optional)

Instructions:

  1. Humanely dispatch the lobsters and separate the tails and claws from the bodies. Reserve the lobster meat from the tails and claws and refrigerate.
  2. Toss the lobster bodies and shells with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast until fragrant and slightly browned.
  3. Sauté the onion, carrots, and celery in butter until softened. Add garlic and tomato paste and cook until fragrant.
  4. Deglaze the pot with sherry, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom.
  5. Add the roasted lobster shells, chicken broth, thyme, bay leaf, and cayenne pepper to the pot. Bring to a simmer and cook for 1 hour.
  6. Remove the lobster shells and thyme/bay leaf. Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until smooth. (Or, working in batches, blend in a regular blender.) Strain the soup through a fine-mesh sieve to remove any remaining solids.
  7. Return the strained bisque to the pot. Stir in the heavy cream and season with salt and pepper to taste. Gently heat through, being careful not to boil.
  8. Ladle the bisque into bowls. Garnish with chopped chives, reserved lobster meat, and a swirl of crème fraîche (if using).