Lobster Bisque

My husband and I celebrated our anniversary in Cape Cod this past weekend.  We had a nice long weekend. Just the two of us.  Which was actually quite strange.  I found my self seeing things or experiencing things, thinking, oh, the kids would love this.  But then I had to remind myself to stay in the here and now. Enjoy my time with my husband where one long sentence could come out, uninterrupted. Where a trip could go by without the words, "stop touching me".  A gem of a moment to be sure but nevertheless I missed them immensely and by the fourth day I had tears in my eyes, missing them. 

Our gracious hosts who we rented from bought us a bottle of champagne.  They were the greatest!

One of the things we got to enjoy on the Cape was lobster.  Wow.  I have not had lobster since I was a single girl going with my cousin and Aunt up the East Coast to Nova Scotia. Boy, was I excited.  However I did not relish the nasty part of killing the poor things.  I did not have the nerve to do it.  I may the next time but this time it was up to my husband.  And honestly, I would have to freeze the lobsters to sedate them the next time.  Awwww.  But I used every morsel of the lobster to honor that little crustacean.  Thank you lobster, you were delicious.

First we ate our seriously huge lobsters. Then I boiled those carcasses and because we were away I had nothing to put in the broth but the carcasses.  No matter, I finished it when we got home.

It came out so good.  I had to write it down for next time. Hopefully soon.

LOBSTER BISQUE

Lobster Broth:

2 carcasses that you boiled the lobster in. Add the carcasses and simmer gently for one and half hours. Have enough water in the pot to cover the lobster.  It should already be enough from when you submerged the lobster.

Lobster Bisque:

4 celery stocks
3 carrots
2 red onions
1/4 cup parsley
4 sprigs thyme
2 large bay leaves
2 cups stewed tomatoes
2 tablespoons dry rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
a nice pinch of saffron
3 quarts lobster broth
1/2 cup butter, divided 1/4 cup
1/3 cup flour
generous dose of freshly ground black pepper
heavy cream*

In a large stock pot sauté carrots, onion, celery in 1/4 cup butter until tender and slightly golden. Add in lobster broth,  parsley, thyme, bay leaf, rice, tomatoes wine and saffron. If you are like me and forget to remove the bay leaf before blending, place it and the thyme in a cheesecloth and tie with twine.  Simmer this gently for about forty minutes. Remove from heat and let cool a bit.  Remove the herbs.  Blend the soup in batches.  Becareful if you are doing it when it is hot.  I use a towel over the blender, start off slow and then turn it up higher.  Set aside.

In that same stock pot (yes, you should probably clean it first).  Melt 1/4 cup butter and add the flour.  Stir frequently, let it brown.  Once it is golden brown, whisk in the soup you made.  Whisking until it is fully incorporated.  Before serving add in some heavy cream if desired.  It is not needed but hey it can only make it better.

*My husband can not have cream so I just added a tablespoon of heavy cream to the bowls when serving.  

Some amazing beauty for you to enjoy... I just love the Cape!

This guy was hysterical.  He flew over top of us several times and was answering questions for me and some other people that were standing under him.