The Best Lobster Bisque (Ruth's Chris Copycat Recipe) (2024)

FAQs

What liquor is used in lobster bisque? ›

The lobster bisque, a classic lobster dish from New England, traditionally uses both white wine and brandy in its preparation. Brandy is made from grapes, so you can consider it like an extremely pepped up version of wine.

A bisque is a smooth, creamy French style of soup, traditionally made from crustaceans like lobster, crab or crayfish. It should include a stock made from the shells, a large amount of cream, and a thickening agent made from either finely-ground shells or rice.

Most modern bisques are thickened using rice. Some cook the rice in the broth and strain it out later, using only the left-behind rice starch to thicken the soup. Others puree the rice into the soup to thicken it. Almost all bisques are finished with hot cream for a velvety texture.

Lobster bisque is a creamy, smooth soup that uses homemade lobster stock as the base with a hint of tomato flavor from the tomato paste that gives it the signature orange color.

Here's what you can generally expect in a well-made bisque: Lobster Shells — The core flavoring ingredient (shrimp and other crustaceans can work too). Most bisques do not call for the meat itself, just the shells. Seasoning — Primarily based around whole vegetables, like celery, carrots, onions, and tomatoes.

A copious amount of wine, a whole bottle, is used for making the soup, while large amounts of half-and-half and cream thicken the soup at the end.

LOBSTER BISQUE OPTIONS

LOBSTER MEAT: Frozen or canned lobster meat can be used BUT fresh is best. I cannot guarantee the flavour in your bisque will turn out the same. CLAMS OR SHRIMP: Both options are a great substitution for this recipe.

Why is my lobster bisque bitter? If you used a whole lobster carcass (including head and gills) to make the stock, it's important not to cook it for too long as they tend lend a bitter taste to the stock. Instead remove head and gill parts and use only the shells.

While lobster bisque is considered to be a type of soup, there are a few differences that set the two appetizers apart. Bisque is far creamier and richer than traditional soup, which consists mostly of broth, veggies and spices.

Tomato – A fresh tomato will help add color and flavor to this soup. Tomato Paste – You will need tomato paste to add flavor, color, richness, and body to the bisque. Garlic – A few cloves go a long way to enhancing this flavor.

Is it better to thicken soup with flour or cornstarch? ›

The most classic and surefire way to thicken a broth-based soup is with a cornstarch slurry. Whisk together equal parts cornstarch (or arrowroot) and water or broth, then whisk it into the pot of soup. A good ratio to get to a pleasant thickness without your soup tasting goopy or heavy is one tablespoon.

Firing at cone 06 causes the clay to shrink and become porous and therefore will easily accept glaze. Firing to cone 04 increases the pottery's strength and durability.

In American recipes, using a combination of lobster shells, bodies, claw meat, and tail meat provides the bisque its telltale taste and feel. Depending on the recipe, you will remove the lobster from the body, dice it, and add the chopped lobster meat to the broth and develop flavors that way.

Traditionally, the shells were ground up and strained to make a lobster stock thickened with rice or beurre manié (a softened butter and flour mixture) and cream. The mixture is then flavored with sherry. The lobster meat was reserved for dishes like lobster thermidor—none were added to the bisque.

I cooked the bisque according to the directions on the can, except I used 1/2 cup cream instead of 1/3 cup per can. And I added in some Cajun spices and fresh herbs. Not much doctoring involved. But we thoroughly enjoyed the lobster bisque with our Connecticut Lobster rolls.

The Best Wines to Pair with Lobster

Acidity is key in pairing wine with lobster. Think about how great a squeeze of lemon is on fish – a light, crisp wine with great acidity can do the same thing. Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Grigio can be great in this regard, but so can Riesling and Chardonnay.

Ingredients and Substitutions

Cream – You will need some heavy whipping cream at the end to monte the lobster stock. Wine – This is optional, but I use port wine and dry vermouth. Liquor – I deglaze and finish the bisque with Brandy. Another option would be dry or cream sherry.

Your best bet is going to be another dry fortified wine such as dry (white) vermouth. Dry versions of Madeira and marsala are also acceptable. You can also substitute a dry white wine like sauvignon blanc, pinot grigio, pinot blanc, or sémillon. Dry sparkling wines will also work when used in small amounts.

A classic gin and tonic can be an excellent match for lobster, particularly if the dish has a citrusy or herbal element. The botanicals in gin can echo the herbs used in the dish and really set your taste buds alive. To enhance the pairing, choose a high-quality tonic water that isn't overly sweet.