Lobster Bisque might be the perfect menu selection for Valentine’s Day, if you’re not going to a fancy restaurant. If they have it on their menu, you can bet it’ll cost a whole lot more than what it takes for you to make it.
If you’re really pinching pennies, you can substitute langostino (not exactly lobster; more like a small crab) or shrimp. Definitely cheaper than lobster! (Even if lobster is so good…)
This recipe just happens to be low-carb and gluten-free. Not to be trendy, but mainly because this is how it tastes best- with just a bit of sauteed onion and tomato to give it body, and none of those flour-y thickeners that are sometimes used. This Lobster Bisque is also very easy to make, so the cook has enough energy left to still feel romantic. Perfect for Valentine’s Day! Serves 4-6.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 lb. or so shrimp heads, if available
- 1 medium large onion, chopped
- Virgin Olive oil
- 1 12-oz. pkg. frozen Langostino (or sub shrimp, or real lobster)
- 16 oz. canned tomatoes
- 1/2 c. cream
- 1 tsp. salt
- 2-4 c. shrimp stock (or sub chicken stock)
- Fresh herbs (tarragon and thyme, or others)
- Grated pink peppercorns (or chili flakes)
PREPARATION
1. Ideally, you might purchase head-on shrimp for previous meals; save the shrimp heads to make an excellent stock. The shrimp heads are particularly high in the esteemed nutrient “Astaxanthin“; plus, it makes super delicious stock. Prepare shrimp stock using heads of shrimp, covered in boiling water and cooked until flavorful. Use: > 1 lb. or so shrimp heads
2. Saute in some olive oil until translucent and soft: > 1 medium large onion
3. Process in blender (or use immersion blender): > Sauteed onion > 2 c. (16 oz.) canned tomato
4. To the processed onion and tomato, add and pulse/mix just until blended: >1 12-oz. pkg. frozen Langostino (or sub shrimp, or real lobster) > 1/2 c. cream > 1 tsp. salt > fresh herbs > 2-4 c. shrimp stock (or sub chicken stock)
5. Put back into soup pot, heat, and garnish with fresh-grated pink pepper (or pepper flakes) to serve
This would be perfect. I don’t eat seafood but my boyfriend loves it and he doesn’t get to eat it as much as I know he wants to because of me. So I ordered lobster online and I plan to make him a nice seafood dish and since I have never cooked with seafood before I think a lobster bisque would be the perfect place to start. Thanks so much for the recipe, I can’t wait to see how it turns out.
I guess if you don’t have a Trader Joe’s around, ordering online might be the only other alternative, hey, Lauren? But, even though the Trader Joe’s lobster was, I think, like, $17 (for 2 nice tails), that’s still $20 cheaper than online at Rastelli’s. (Plus you have to pay shipping with them, if it’s under $150…)
“Maine” thing with lobster (pun, haha), is that it hardly takes any time at all to cook. Maybe only five minutes if broiling; if in pieces, it can probably get cooked by the time the soup’s been reheated (it should just turn from translucent to soft white in color).
Hope yours turns out great!
It turned out AMAZING!! I even enjoyed it. Thanks so much again for sharing Jennifer!
You’re welcome, Laruen ;D