Tag: Soup

Lobster Bisque with Langostino Lobster Tails

Lobster Bisque with LangostinoThe Lobster Bisque Challenge!

Lobster Bisque isn’t over rated, but it is often over cooked.  You’ll find that most recipes use a ton of cream to define their soup recipe as a “bisque”, then hours of waiting time to reduce.  Is all of this really necessary?  I say Nay-nay!  I’ll prove it to you in this recipe I’ve developed that not only cuts your cooking time in half but knocks out 2/3 of the fat content because you don’t really need that much cream.  Even Bobby Flay’s Lobster Bisque recipe has 6 cups of Heavy Cream in it.  Crazy!  I use only 2 and I promise you it’s just as good and if not, even better.

Langostino Tail MeatIn this Lobster Bisque Recipe I’m going to be using Langostino Lobster.  I honestly prefer Squat Lobster if you have it available.  The benefits of each are the same but there are some differences.  First, the price is incredibly reasonable.  I bought 3 pounds of solid meat, not shell, for just 20 bucks!  The difference in my opinion is a sweeter, softer lobster tail meat when you are using Squat Lobster to make Lobster Bisque.  Don’t ask me why, it’s just that way.  Regardless of the reasons, they’re both very affordable and they both make a very impressive Lobster Bisque come to life.

Lobster Bisque Ingredients:

1 cup water
2 tsp Tomato Bouillon
6 Roma Tomatoes
2 Celery Stalks
1 Carrot
3 Garlic Cloves
1 Tbsp Chopped Ginger
3 Parsley Sprigs
3 Large Basil Leaves
3/4 cup Red Wine (sweet)

1 Onion
2 Tbsp Butter
1/3 cup Corn Starch
2 cups Heavy Whipping Cream
1Tbsp Italian Seasoning
1 tsp Ground Black Pepper
2 lbs Langostino Lobster tails

Set the water and bouillon on medium heat on the stove.  Combine all the vegetables except for the onion in a food processor or blender and puree.  Then add mixture to the Tomato Stalk.  Chop onion and sauté until Caramelized, and then add the Corn Starch and Cream.  When the Cream thickens like a country gravy, add the seasoning and add all the onions and cream to the soup.  Chop half of the Langostino Lobster tails into small pieces and add to the Bisque.  Stir frequently and wait to reduce; 20 to 25 minutes.  It will burn the bottom if you’re not stirring!  Once it has reduced to your desired consistency, add remaining Lobster tails and serve.  If you are using large lobsters for this Lobster Bisque Recipe, all directions still apply, only adding the meat in increments isn’t necessary.

Cream of Broccoli Soup

Cream of Broccoli Soup in a Bread BowlMy Cream of Broccoli Secret!

Cream of Broccoli Soup doesn’t get any better than putting it in a toasted Bread Bowl, does it?  It’s not a necessity but it sure does boost the look and comfort of eating soup with bread.  For this Cream of Broccoli Soup recipe, I decided to dig deep and give you the best of the best with combinations of 5 star rating recipes.  So I know for a fact that this soup will strike a new chord for you and bless you with a terrific way to make Cream of Broccoli Soup in the future.

Cream of Broccoli SoupMy top 3 favorite soups start out sautéing onions.  At least the way I do it.  It seems to bring out more of a rich flavor in the soup when it’s done that way.  In my Cream of Broccoli recipe, I sauté the onions until they almost caramelize.  A little bit of sugar helps to speed that process up so it doesn’t take so long just caramelizing onions.  Also, I like my cream of Broccoli to be a little more on the chunky side, so I don’t puree the broccoli.  Of course that’s a personal preference, but I find that picking a happy medium allows the soup to consume the flavor of the smaller ground pieces, giving it that sweet broccoli flavor, and the larger pieces that throw in that meaty effect, giving the best of both worlds.  Who could ask for anything more?  Toyota probably!

Cream of Broccoli Soup Ingredients:

1 qt Chicken Stock or Broth
4 Broccoli Stalk Heads
1 Celery stalk (optional)
1 carrot (optional)
1 Onion
2 tbsp butter
3 tbsp flour
1 tsp sugar
1 cup Heavy Whipping Cream
1 tsp ground pepper
4 Bread Soup Bowls

Bring Chicken stock or bouillon seasoned water to a boil.  Cut all the vegetables and combine the Broccoli, Celery and Carrot in a Food Processor and blend to desired consistency, pureed or chunky, then add to stock and reduce heat to medium. Saute chopped onion in butter, add sugar and cook until it’s golden brown and caramelized.  Add Flour, stir, then add the cream and stir again until it thickens and turns almost pasty.  Then add the creamy onions to the stock.  Reduce the heat to a simmer and stir in the pepper.

The Bread Bowl should be toasted but they don’t have to be.  I usually throw them in the oven under a high broil and watch them carefully. This allows the bread to have a toasted crispy exterior yet a soft fluffy interior, and it’s the way I like it.  Pull from the oven and fill with soup.  I like to top my Cream of Broccoli with a mild cheddar cheese before I serve.