Easy Lobster Bisque with Old Bay Inspired Bread Dumplings
Ingredients:
4 lobster tails
2 sticks of butter
2 tablespoons of chicken bouillon, we used Better Than Bouillon brand
fresh thyme
4 to 6 cloves of roasted garlic
1 cup diced carrots
1 cup diced celery
1 cup diced onion
1.5 cups white wine
2 tablespoons of tomato paste
3 tablespoons of flour
2 to 3 tablespoons of Old Bay Seasoning or a mix of celery salt, black pepper, dried parsley, powdered cloves, garlic powder & onion powder
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons of sea salt
5 cups of water
1 box of Chateau Bread Dumplings
1 cup of sliced green onions
1.5 cups of heavy cream
Instructions:
In a stock pot, add five cups of water and the 2 tablespoons of sea salt and the lobster tails. Bring to a boil and boil tails five minutes, shells will turn bright red, remove tails to a plate to cool for a few minutes
Split the shells down the center with kitchen shears and remove the lobster meat and set aside. Add the shells back to the stock pot with the water and simmer on low covered for 30 minutes.
In another pot, add 1/2 stick of butter, and saute your celery, carrots and onions until golden brown and soft.
Add your tomato paste and chicken bouillon to the celery, carrots and onions and saute for five minutes. Add your 3 tablespoons of flour and saute again for five minutes, making sure it doesn't burn.
Add 1.5 cups of white wine to the pan and simmer for a few minutes to get all the bits off the bottom.
Turn off your lobster shells and strain the lobster water into the celery, carrot and onion mixture. Add a few stems of fresh thyme, simmer on low, covered, for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile thaw and cube your bread dumplings, add to a bowl, melt one stick of butter with two bay leaves, remove the bay leaves and pour butter on dumplings to coat. Season with the Old Bay Seasoning to taste. Set Aside.
When the soup mixture has simmered for 30 minutes, remove the thyme stems, and use an immersion blender to blend the soup until creamy. You can also use a regular blender and work in batches. Add the heavy cream to the soup and stir well until smooth and silky.
Heat a skillet and add your bread dumplings and toast them, stirring often so they don't burn. When they are toasted on all sides, remove from the pan.
Using the same pan, melt the 1/2 stick butter remaining, cut your lobster meat into chunks, add the roasted garlic to the pan and the lobster meat and saute just until the lobster is warmed. Add your dumplings back to the pan with the lobster meat and toss well to coat.
Ladle your soup into bowls and top with the lobster dumpling mixture and slices of green onions.
