California Spiny Lobster Bisque

Courtesy of Tom Gatch
Reward yourself after your next successful foray for California spiny lobster with this delicious variation of a favorite classic recipe.

Ingredients:
2 freshly boiled, well cooled, California spiny lobsters weighing about 1 1/2 to 2 lbs. each
1-3/4 oz. butter
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 tomatoes, chopped
2 oz. tomato paste
4 garlic cloves, crushed
A few sprigs of thyme
4-1/4 fl. oz. brandy
2 fl. oz. sweet white wine, such as Muscat
2-1/8 pt. fish stock or water
17 fl. oz. cream
Salt, to taste
1 pinch of cayenne pepper
A few sprigs of parsley, to garnish

Method:
Twist off the tails, remove the veins and wash out the heads. Remove the meat from one tail, cut it into 1-in. cubes, and set aside to use later as garnish. Chop remaining tail and carapaces into large chunks.

Place a large saucepan on high heat and melt the butter. Add the onion, carrots and garlic. Cook while stirring until the onions turn translucent. Add the chopped lobster chunks, tomato paste, brandy, sweet white wine, chopped tomatoes, thyme, cayenne pepper and salt. Stir well and add the fish stock.

Add the cream to the saucepan and allow to simmer over low heat for approximately 1 hour, and strain the broth into another saucepan (be sure to press and strain as much liquid from the lobster chunks as possible before discarding them). Whisk the strained soup vigorously until it is lightly frothy.

Ladle the soup into a serving bowl. Garnish with a few sprigs of Italian flat leaf parsley and cubes of lobster tail meat. Enjoy this elegant chowder with your dining partner on a rainy winter’s day along with a loaf of warm sourdough bread and a couple of your favorite beverages.

Cheesy Oysters

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