Don't you hate it when you order lobster bisque restaurants cheat you out of the lobster (bastards!) and you barely get anything in there besides some soup and a few measly bits of lobster floating around?
When I was still an (active) actress, I was working at a restaurant where they would sometimes serve Lobster Bisque as a soup special. Now, the waitstaff usually was allowed to have unlimited soup at no cost (I think. If not, I'm sorry Steve and Tony! I'll mail you a check!). But not the lobster bisque. Oh no. We couldn't even TOUCH the sacred stuff.
Well, now I know how to make it. So there.
I must say, however, the best lobster bisque I have ever had is at David Burke and Donatella on the Upper East Side. It is a very shi shi restaurant (that actually has a limo parked outside for anyone who wants to smoke in the winter months), with the most amazing dessert I have ever tasted, ie -Cheesecake lollipops that look like Chupa-Chups and taste exactly like bubblegum. It's crazy.
There was a big chunk of lobster in the toureen, with a lightly fried lobster cigar layed ever so perfectly on top of the bowl so that it hovered over the edges. The server then spooned the delicious lobster bisque into the toureen and it was now yours for the taking.
My lobster bisque was nowhere near as good as that.
First of all, I got shrimp, mainly due to the lack of car that has been wreacking havoc on my cooking schedule and making my life impossible (do I say enough that I can't wait until I move back to NYC so that I may never have to drive again and so everything is at my fingertips?) and I could not walk to the fish monger (it's really M. Slavin, a fantastic fish store, but I like the word "monger") to get lobster tail. Secondly, no cognac (again, no car, no liquor store). I'm sure that made a huge difference. For some reason, my bisque was kind of bitter. It cooked up beautifully. The consistency was perfect. Learning how to make the mousseline was excellent (and a definite way to impress your friends!) and very informative (and simple!). But why was it bitter??? I don't get it! Could it have been the wine? That's the only thing I could figure.
Ah, well. Let's just say that this hasn't been my week when it comes to cooking. But I don't want to compain, it's all good, because I'm learning something new everyday! I guess my galettes weren't as ugly as I thought (ok, they were, but they tasted great)! I'll end up making that DB cake just yet! I joined Operation Baking Gals and am sending a little baking love to the troops! I'm getting my car, my dog, and my boyfriend back on Friday and I'll be back and better than ever! With a helper!
Oh, I made a bread with melted brie cheese and garlic to go with this. I could have eating 40 of these. I just had two bites and then I threw the rest out. I have to watch the calories with all of this food.
Just take some good, rustic bread, put it in the oven for a few minutes under broil, rub some garlic on it after it is a bit toasty, add the brie, pop it back under the broiler for ten minutes and Viola` (I will use that word in every French post I write because I love being cliche`) - delicious bread!
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I used shrimp too, and brandy. Cognac is just and appellation of origin, like champagne. I am happy that you were brave and tried this recipe, the soup looks very good and the quenelles look perfect. The toast with brie sounds pretty good too!
Posted by: Natashya | July 30, 2008 at 08:54 PM
Okay, this keeps eating my comment post...or you have five of them stacked up there somewhere....grrrrr...
Great job, great photos, great post...I think your soup and bread look very very good.
Happy to hear of the return of the car, the dog, and the boyfriend...I love your posts each week.
Okay...am trying again, and if it eats it this time, I will just assume it is trying to get to your soup and not having any luck!
Posted by: Kayte | July 31, 2008 at 01:35 AM
That restaurant you mentioned sounds amazing. I love your description of how it's presented. I want to try making this soup with shrimp instead. I'm sure it tastes just as good! That brie on toast sounds delicious!
Shari@Whisk: a food blog
Posted by: Shari | August 01, 2008 at 03:25 AM
Ok...I'm encouraged! We both found an underlying bitterness... That means my addition of tomato paste and paprika likely isn't the cause... We both used shrimp...that wasn't it. The quenelles didn't have the bitterness. What kind of wine did you use? I used a sauvignon blanc. Maybe a Pinot grigio would have been a better choice? Hey...why didn't we think to use champagne? Truly, this would be a good use of left-over, flat champagne. Bravo to you for your bravery and welcome to WW!! The bisque looks lovely!
Posted by: Glennis - Can't Believe We Ate | August 01, 2008 at 03:55 PM
I've never asked lobster in a restaurant... but I do understand what you say... for example when I ask for a mixed tempura (which is suppoused to have veggies AND shrimps) I get like only one little shrimp and the rest pure veggies!
The bisque looks amazing!
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