How To: Make a decadent rich and creamy lobster bisque soup

Soup might sound simple, but when you're making lobster bisque, making the soup is quite a chore, but the taste is worth every second! Any shellfish lover will lover this lobster bisque!

Jim Murray of The Nimrod on Cape Cod takes us through the journey of making a classic lobster bisque, from the boil and steam method of cooking lobsters, to crushing their shells for the flavorful stock and then making the creamy roux thickener. Decadent, yes, but a treat totally worth the effort and calories.

Ingredients:

Serves 8

Lobster

* 3 (1½-lbs each) lobsters
* 3 qts salted water

Stock

* 6 tbsp butter
* 1 tbsp paprika
* 2 carrots, chopped
* 1 onion, halved
* 1 tbsp minced shallots
* 3 celery stalks, chopped
* aromatic scraps such as fennel tops & parsley stems (optional)

Roux

* 3 sticks butter
* 2-4 tbsp minced shallots
* 2½ - 3 cups flour

Cream Base

* 2 qts lobster stock
* 1 cup brandy
* 2 cups sherry
* 2 pinches of nutmeg
* 1½ tsp tomato paste
* 5 dashes Tabasco sauce
* 5 cups heavy cream

Garnish (optional)

* chopped fresh parsley