Lobster Bisque *Yields 1 Gallon ½ C Olive Oil 6 Lobster Bodies (all Shells and Carapaces) 4 Carrots, Medium Size, Rough Cut, 1” Dice 6 Celery Stalks, Rough Cut 1” Dice 2 Onions, Medium Size, Rough Cut, 1” Dice 4 Plum Tomatoes, Large Dice1 C Dry White Wine 12 Thyme Sprigs 4 Bay Leaves1 Gallon Water (enough to cover shells) 1 Tbsp Black Pepper, Cracked

*10 8oz Portions½ C Butter2 Medium Onions, Finely Chopped3 Carrots, Peeled, Finely Chopped3 Stalks Celery, Finely ChoppedKosher SaltWhite Pepper or Fine Ground Black Pepper 2 Cloves Garlic, Minced4 Tbsp. Tomato Paste½ C All-Purpose Flour1 Gallon Lobster Stock 1 1/4 C Dry White Wine3 Bay Leaves12 Thyme Sprigs1 C Heavy Cream1 lb. Cooked Lobster Meat, ChoppedChives, Finely Chopped, for Garnish

LOBSTER STOCKLOBSTER STOCK BISQUEBISQUE

• Remove head sacs (behind the eyes) in the head; discard. Remove any green tomalley or red roe, wrap shells in a clean kitchen towel. Using a rolling pin, meat pounder, or hammer, break shells into 2” pieces. • Add olive oil to large skillet or stock pot and heat over medium-high heat. When the oil begins to shimmer, add the lobster shells, onions, carrots, celery, garlic, bay leaves, thyme. Sauté, stirring often, 6-8 minutes, or until the vegetables are softened, and the lobster shells are fragrant and color turns to red. Reduce the heat to medium.

• Add the wine and tomatoes with their juices and return to a simmer. Cook another 5 minutes, then add enough cold water to cover the shells. Return to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue to gently simmer another 40-60 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste and remove from the heat.

• When slightly cooled, pour the broth through a fine strainer. Let cool completely before using.

METHODMETHOD

• In a large, heavy pot over medium heat, heat butter, onion, carrots, and celery, and cook until soft (about 7 minutes). Season with salt and pepper. Stir in garlic and tomato paste. Cook until garlic is fragrant, and tomato paste coats vegetables (about 2 minutes). Sprinkle flour over vegetables, stir and cook, 1 addi-tional minute more.

• Pour in lobster stock and wine. Stir in bay leaf and thyme. Reduce heat, remove all settlement from bottom of pan to prevent burning or sticking. Let simmer until liquid is reduced and flavors meld, stirring occasionally, 30-45 minutes.

• Remove bay leaf and thyme and purée with an im-mersion blender until smooth. (If immersion blender is unavailable use standard blender). Return to medium-low heat and stir in heavy cream and lobster meat, cooking just until warm, about 5-7 minutes.

• Garnish with chives.

METHODMETHOD

Lobster Facts • Lobster was once considered the poor man’s chicken. In Colonial times, it was

fed to pigs and goats, and only eaten by paupers.

• Lobsters can swim forward and backward. When they are alarmed, they scoot away in reverse by rapidly curling and uncurling their tails.

• When food is scarce, lobsters can turn cannibal and dine on smaller lobsters.

• Former President and First Lady George and Barbara Bush loved to eat lobster served fresh at Mable’s Restaurant in Kennebunkport, Maine.

• Maine lobsters have large meaty claws. Spiny Caribbean lobsters have no claws and are sold mainly for their tails.

• Lobsters can grow up to four feet long and weigh as much as 40 pounds.

• It is believed that Lobsters can live up to 100 years. • Lobsters were so plentiful that after a storm they would wash ashore in deep

piles. • Lobster blood is not red, it is clear. When cooked, the lobster blood turns into a

whitish gel.

• A lobster’s claws are strong. A large lobster could break your finger. • Maine lobstermen have caught over 100 million pounds of lobster annually since

2011.

• Depending on how warm the water is, lobsters will carry their eggs for up to a year. Only 1 percent of a lobster’s eggs will live more than six weeks.

• Lobstermen will throw back a female lobster carrying eggs, but not before cutting a notch in the tale to tell other fishermen she’s a good egg bearer.