Lobster bisque may be the most luxurious, creamy and velvety soup ever to grace a table and unapologetically indulgent. It delivers deep, intense flavor from our favorite crustacean, filled and topped with generous chunks of tender lobster meat. Yes, it’s expensive. Yes, it takes time, but every penny spent and every moment invested is absolutely worth it. Rich, smooth, and silky, this bisque is equally at home served in a refined cup as an elegant starter or enjoyed as a decadent lunchtime bowl.
Why You Will Love This Bisque
This is the lobster bisque by which all others will be compared and judged. It begins with live lobster, par-cooked to protect its delicate texture before being finished gently in the bisque. The entire lobster is used—meat, shells, and juices—capturing layers of flavor that simply can’t be achieved with tails alone. A classic French technique of thickening with rice preserves the purity of the lobster while creating that signature silky body. Shellfish juices are used for seasoning to keep every note firmly in the family, while sherry and cognac, along with fresh vegetables and herbs, build complexity and depth. The result is a bisque that is unforgettable.
Let’s Make Lobster Bisque
Prepare a pot of water over a steamer insert and bring it to a boil. Quickly kill the lobsters by splitting the heads with a chef’s knife, twisting off the knuckles with claws, then twist apart the heads and tails.
Place the claws, knuckles and tails in the steamer pot, cover and par-cook for 2.5 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board set in a rimmed baking sheet. Remove the steamer pot from heat, set aside and reserve the water
Remove the tail, claw, and knuckle meat from shells. Cut the meat into bite-size pieces and transfer to the refrigerator in a covered container. Reserve the shells and juices. Separate the lobster heads and bodies into large pieces and reserve everything, especially all the liquids.
Heat the olive oil and butter in a dutch oven over medium heat, then add the vegetables and herbs. Stir occasionally and sweat the shallots about 5 minutes, then add the reserved shells, bodies and liquids captured in the baking sheet. Sauté for 5 minutes, then add the tomato paste. Stir and cook for an additional 3 minutes.
Add the sherry and the cognac, cook until the alcohol has evaporated – 1-2 minutes. Add the clam juice and 2.5 cups of the reserved lobster-steaming water. Bring to a low simmer and cook, covered, for 1 hour.
Strain everything through a colander, pressing down hard on the solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Strain again through a fine mesh sieve to remove any tiny pieces of shell. Wipe out the dutch oven and pour in the broth. Add the rice and cook covered for 30 minutes. The rice should be very, very soft.
Transfer the broth and rice to a blender, blend on high speed until it is completely pureed – about 30 seconds. Wipe out the dutch oven again and pour the bisque back into the pot. Add the cream, whisk it together and bring to a very low simmer. Season to taste with the salt and cayenne pepper. Add the reserved lobster meat and let it heat through – about 3 minutes.
Optional lobster tail garnish: Steam the reserved tail 1 minute per ounce, remove from shell and cut into bite-size chunks
Serve in a shallow bowl with a side car of cognac and an optional garnish of chunk lobster tail and chives. Print
Lobster Bisque
Live lobster bisque thickened with rice, seasoned with vegetables, herbs, sherry and cognac
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 145
- Total Time: 2 hours 40 minutes
- Yield: 4-8 servings 1x
Ingredients
- (2) 1-1/4 lb live lobsters
- 1 lobster tail – steamed – meat for garnish – optional
- 2 TBL olive oil
- 1 TBL unsalted butter
- 1 carrot – chopped
- 2 ribs celery – chopped
- 2 large shallots – chopped
- 3 cloves garlic – crushed
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 sprigs fresh tarragon
- 2 TBL tomato paste
- 1 cup Pedro Ximenez sweet sherry
- 1 TBL Cognac – can substitute Armagnac or Brandy
- 16 oz Reeses clam juice
- 2o oz lobster steaming water
- 1/2 cup Arborio rice
- 1 cup heavy cream
- Sea salt – to taste
- Cayenne pepper – to taste
- Chive sticks – garnish
- 3 oz Cognac – divided in sidecars – optional garnish or shot
Instructions
- Prepare a pot of water over a steamer insert and bring it to a boil. Quickly kill the lobsters by splitting the heads with a chef’s knife. Separate each lobster by twisting off the knuckles with claws, then twisting apart the heads and tails
- Place the claws and tails in the steamer pot, cover and par-cook for 2.5 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board set in a rimmed baking sheet. Remove the steamer pot from heat, set aside and reserve the water
- When the lobster is cool enough to handle, remove the tail, claw, and knuckle meat from shells using kitchen shears, a shellfish cracker and/or a mallet (watch for splatter!). Cut the meat into bite-size pieces and transfer to the refrigerator in a covered container. Reserve the shells and juices
- Cut and chop the remaining lobster heads and bodies into large pieces and reserve everything, especially all the liquids
- Heat the olive oil and butter in a dutch oven over medium heat, then add the vegetables and herbs. Stir occasionally and sweat until the shallots are translucent – about 5 minutes, then add all the reserved shells, bodies and liquids captured in the baking sheet. Sauté for 5 minutes, then add the tomato paste. Stir and cook for an additional 3 minutes
- Add the sherry and the cognac, cook until the alcohol has evaporated – 1-2 minutes. Add the clam juice and 2.5 cups of the reserved lobster-steaming water. Bring to a low simmer and cook, covered, for 1 hour
- Strain through a colander, pressing down hard on the solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Strain again through a fine mesh sieve to remove any tiny pieces of shell. Wipe out the dutch oven and pour in the broth. Add the rice and cook covered for 30 minutes. The rice should be very, very soft and mushy
- Transfer the broth and rice to a blender, blend on high speed until it is completely pureed – about 30 seconds. Wipe out the dutch oven again and pour the bisque back into the pot. Add the cream, whisk it together and bring to a very low simmer. Season to taste with the salt and cayenne pepper. Add the reserved lobster meat and let it heat through – about 3 minutes
- Optional lobster tail garnish: Steam the reserved tail 1 minute per ounce, remove from shell and cut into bite-size chunks
- Serve in a shallow bowl with a side car of cognac and an optional garnish of chunk lobster tail and chives