# Lobster Bisque



## amuse_bouche (Sep 16, 2008)

Wondering how people prefer to make this soup. With or without the shells in the process (I've made it with blending the shells right in before straining.) With a roux or another thickener like arborio rice?


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## ed buchanan (May 29, 2006)

Don't know what you mean by putting in shells before straining? 
The shells should be in the lobster stock before. If you are talking about the old time process of grinding the shells after cooking in a mortar then thats different. 
The classic bisque never had rice only poached lobster meat and was traditionally finished off with a laison of egg and cream for both silkiness, and thickening. I do not know how you make it without shells? unless you are useing that junk in the jar lobster base.:look:


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## amuse_bouche (Sep 16, 2008)

Yes, I meant grinding up the shells right into the soup. At the restaurant where I made it, the lobster bodies were roasted off, cooked with the other ingredients (including some arborio) and then ground right in. We reserved the tail, claw and knuckle meat for garnish.


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## foodpump (Oct 10, 2005)

Lobster shells are in the chitin (sp?) family, which, if I paid attention in gr. 9 Biology, is the exo-skeleton building material for most crustaceans, cockaroaches, locusts, and other insects. It is my humble opinion that--along with veal bones-- the maximum flavour should be extracted and then the material ceremonioulsy tossed out.

I've seen many methods of bisque, including the method you describe with risotto rice. Again, in my opinion, the best method is run the soup through a vegetable mill, squeezing until the solids are bone dry and every last drop of flavour is in the soup. Solids then get tossed out. Hobart actually makes a vegetable mill attachment for mixers of 30 qt size and up, it is the perfect tool for this kind of stuff, and makes short work of many potato dishes as well.

One of the more, uh..."creative" ways I've seen bisque done was to start off as above but without any rice or starch. Lobster bodies and/or culls would be poached in pure butter, and then this butter would be carefully portioned out and put on the m.e.p. As butter is a fat, it absorbs all of the flavour and colour--beautifull and horribly expensive stuff. The butter would be added to a'la minute sauces and also used to make roux to thicken said bisque.


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## koukouvagia (Apr 3, 2008)

Hmmm, ground shells in bisque? I will now think twice about ordering lobster bisque at a restaurant. Does not sound appetizing.


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## ed buchanan (May 29, 2006)

Read the classic prep of Lobster Bisque in The Guide Culinaire, Thats the way it was made years ago. Ground with a mortar and pestal. The shells were actually made into a powdered form.Some of the remaining calcium in the shells actually helped thicken the bisque. I only worked in 1 place that ever did it this way, needless to say it was an all french hotel kitchen in New York.
I do not think labor wise it is done anymore.


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## even stephen (Oct 10, 2005)

I am going to have to steer away from the old school type of preparation in regard to lobster bisque....not you old school......through the years I've gradually moved away from using shells....true it creates a distinct flavor....but not exactly the same as the meat found within....I will take the carcasse after removing the tail and arms.....remove the shell from the head....carefully cut the lungs away. Using standard aromatics with the addition of fennel, fresh ripe tomatoes, garlic, and a light fish stock or water, a little white wine, I just submerge the shells and vegetables....cover the pot and bring to a boil....leave top on.....and cook at a gentle boil for about 45 to 50 minutes....strain.....reduce....cream....and serve.....I prefer a little bread(white, nuetral) to thicken if making a bisque....what you end up with is a stock or bisque that has that clean, sweet flavor that the meat has....anyway....just my take on it.....good luck


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