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.

I recommend using a dry sherry, but medium sherry or cream sherry can also be used. Cream sherry is not creamy, but is sweeter than dry sherry and is a nice compliment to the sweetness of lobster. Heavy Cream - Heavy cream helps make this bisque ultra creamy and luscious.

Mix cornstarch with 1/4 cup water and slowly add to bisque with whisk. Simmer on low heat for another 20 minutes.

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.

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. Most recipes also call a hint of spice, like cayenne or clove.

Ingredients to make bisque

The main ingredient of a bisque is usually a shellfish like lobster, crab, shrimp, or crayfish, but occasionally other ingredients such as tomato, pumpkin or chicken are used.

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.

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.

Put all the lobster shells in a big pot and fill with coldwater so it covers the shells add the parsley stalks , peppercorns and 1 of the tomatoes chopped in half. Bring to the boil then turn down to a simmer and cook for 20 – 30 mins. If you cook it for too long the stock can become bitter.

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.

What's the difference between lobster soup and lobster bisque? ›

Lobster bisque is a type of soup of French origin that's smooth and creamy, extracting its lobster flavor by pureeing and straining the ingredients into a rich and flavorful soup. Lobster soup, such as Lobster & Corn Chowder, is typically chunky with pieces of vegetables like potatoes and corn.

Lobster bisque options

Although you'll be missing out on that characteristic lobster texture, you can totally substitute in shrimp or even a tender white fish like tilapia or cod.

WHAT ALCOHOL IS IN LOBSTER BISQUE? The pot gets deglazed with a dry white wine. Use a good quality Pinot Grigio, Sauv Blanc or Chardonnay, one that you would drink!

Your bisque will last, stored in an airtight container, in the fridge, for 2 days. If you need it to last longer, you can keep it in the freeze for up to 3 months. Let it thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. To reheat your lobster bisque, it's best to gently warm it in a pot over medium heat, stirring often.

Side Dishes That Complement Lobster Bisque

When deciding what to serve with lobster bisque in terms of side dishes, both starches and vegetables can play a role. A side of crusty French bread or garlic bread is perfect for soaking up the soup. For a healthier option, brown rice or quinoa can be great.

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.

Add brandy, sherry, and strained lobster stock; season generously with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and simmer 30 minutes. Remove thyme and bay leaf. Working in batches, puree soup in a blender until smooth.

Chemistry wise, You could substitute any high proof basic alcohol. Whiskey, rum, cognac, gin, vodka. In some cases lower proof would also work. Wine, vermouth.