Lobster Bisque Soup Recipe From Chef Oleg Zelenko

The following is a recipe for Lobster Bisque Soup from Chef Oleg Zelenko of Coastline Bar & Grill of Cherry Hill.

• 2 x 1.25-pound live lobsters
• 1 medium onion
• 1 celery rib
• 1 tomato
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 fresh tarragon springs
• 4 fresh thyme springs
• 1 bay leaf
• 8 black peppercorns
• 1/4 cup brandy
• 1/2 cup Cream Sherry
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 1.5qt 40% heavy cream
• 6 cup water

Yields 4 servings

Fill large pot three fourths full with salted water and bring to a boil.
Put lobster headfirst into water and cook, covered, over high heat about 10 minutes.
Pull lobster out, let stand until cool enough to handle.
Split lobster length wise with the knife over a bowl to catch the juices, twist off tail and claws and reserve juices.
Discard head sacs and any roe.
Remove meat from claws and tail, reserving shells and lobster body.
Coarsely chop meat and transfer to a bowl.
Keep tail meat separate.
Chop onion, celery, and tomato and (smash) garlic.
In a 6-quart heavy pot heat oil over high heat until hot but not smoking and sauté reserved lobster shells and body, stirring occasionally, 8 minutes.
Add vegetables, garlic, herbs, peppercorns, tomato paste.
Add Sherry and simmer, stirring, until almost all liquid is evaporated, about 2-5 minutes.
Add water and cream and simmer mixture, uncovered, stirring occasionally, approximately 30 minutes or till mixture is thick enough.
Pour mixture through a fine sieve into a med saucepan, pressing on and discarding solids.
Add claw meat with remaining juices and brandy and simmer until alcohol evaporates about 10 minutes.
Cut the top of like a lid and scoop out four Bread "Bowls."
Pour bisque inside.
Add remaining tail meat right in the middle of the bowl, some coarsely chopped parsley and tarragon couple dots of olive oil and serve.
*(Save the lids to lean them against bread bowls).*