We are gearing up for the fall season here at Jimmy V's Osteria + Bar! Fall is definitely my favorite time of year. The changing of the seasons means a transition to use new ingredients in my dishes! I love going to the local farmers markets here in Raleigh to see what new seasonal ingredients I can incorporate into my menu. It's the best part about being a Chef, there is always something new to try to really get my creative juices flowing. And what ingredient does everyone think of when autumn rolls around? Pumpkins! I've been exploring several pumpkin recipes at home, and my latest creation is my Pumpkin Lobster Bisque! I've made several variations of this dish, using squash and crab meat as substitutes, but I've found that pumpkin and lobster are a really great compliment to one another. It's a great dish to warm up to as we slowly make our way into colder weather!
Lobster Pumpkin Bisque
- 4 Cups heavy cream
- 1 Large white onion (chopped)
- 2 Large carrots (chopped)
- 2 lb. peeled pumpkin (chopped)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 cup dry sherry
- 2 Whole Live Lobsters
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Cook the lobsters in boiling water for 8-10 minutes (8 minutes per pound). Pull lobsters out and chill, reserving the liquid (you will be using this later). Once the lobsters are cool, crack the claws and tail, remove the meat and set aside (keep claw meat whole for garnish). In another pot, sauté onion and carrots until soft then pour in sherry to deglaze the pan. Add half the lobster cooking liquid, reserved from before to the pot along with the pumpkin and bring to a simmer for 20 minutes or until pumpkin is tender. Add cream and return to a simmer for an additional 10 minutes. Pour soup into a blender, blend until you have a smooth consistency. Return to the pot and add tomato paste, one tablespoon at a time until you've reach your desired thickness, season with salt and pepper. Put the cut lobster meat in the bottom of a bowl, ladle soup over and float 1 claw on top as garnish.
Enjoy!!
Looks delicious Scott!
ReplyDeleteI have a question though. My gf is allergic to shellfish so lobster is out. Could I replace the lobster with a white fish like Mahi Mahi or some other kind of seafood or just make the pumpkin bisque? What would you recommend ?
Hi John,
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment. My recommendation would be to leave the seafood out altogether and just make the pumpkin bisque with a vegetable stock instead. To make a vegetable stock, chop one onion, 1 stalk of celery, 4 large carrots, and mix with one half a gallon of water, one bay leaf, and 1 tablespoon of peppercorns. Bring to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes. Then follow the rest of the recipe! Enjoy. If you have any other questions, please let me know! And feel free to post a photo of your bisque!
Awesome! Thanks Scott!
ReplyDelete