Creamy Prawn & Lobster Bisque (Printable)
Luxurious velvety seafood soup with sweet prawn and lobster flavors enriched with cream and aromatics.
# What You'll Need:
→ Seafood
01 - 7 oz raw prawns, peeled and deveined (reserve shells)
02 - 1 small lobster (about 14 oz), cooked, meat removed and chopped (reserve shells)
→ Vegetables & Aromatics
03 - 1 medium onion, chopped
04 - 1 medium carrot, chopped
05 - 1 celery stalk, chopped
06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 2 tbsp tomato paste
08 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
09 - 1 bay leaf
10 - 1 sprig fresh thyme (or ½ tsp dried)
→ Liquids
11 - ⅔ cup dry white wine
12 - 4 cups fish or seafood stock
13 - ⅔ cup heavy cream
14 - 2 tbsp brandy or cognac
15 - 2 tbsp olive oil
16 - 1 tbsp unsalted butter
→ Seasoning
17 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
18 - Pinch cayenne pepper (optional)
# How-To Steps:
01 - In a large pot, heat olive oil and butter over medium heat. Add prawn and lobster shells; sauté for 5–7 minutes until they turn red and aromatic.
02 - Add onion, carrot, celery, and garlic. Cook for another 5 minutes until softened.
03 - Stir in tomato paste, bay leaf, and thyme. Cook for 1 minute.
04 - Pour in brandy and white wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Simmer for 2 minutes to allow alcohol to evaporate.
05 - Add seafood stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 25–30 minutes to extract flavors.
06 - Strain the mixture through a fine sieve into a clean pot, pressing to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard solids.
07 - Return the strained broth to medium-low heat. Add prawn and lobster meat. Simmer gently for 4–5 minutes until just cooked.
08 - Stir in heavy cream and chopped parsley. Season with salt, pepper, and cayenne to taste. Heat through without boiling.
09 - Use an immersion blender for extra creaminess, if desired. Serve hot, garnished with additional parsley.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- Its the kind of restaurant quality soup that makes people think you spent all day cooking, when really its about extracting every bit of flavor from the shells
- The silky texture and depth of seafood flavor feels like being transported to a seaside table in France
- Leftovers freeze beautifully, so you can pull out a taste of luxury on busy weeknights
02 -
- Roasting the shells at 200°C for 10 minutes before starting will triple the depth of flavor in your finished bisque
- Never let the cream boil after adding it or the soup can separate and become grainy instead of silky
- The bisque tastes even better the next day, so consider making it ahead and reheating gently
03 -
- Make your own seafood stock by freezing shrimp shells whenever you peel prawns for other recipes
- A splash of sherry instead of brandy creates a slightly sweeter, nuttier profile that pairs beautifully with lobster
- If the bisque is too thick after blending, thin it with a little warm stock rather than water