Lobster Bisque Soup
(Serves 10-12)
Benjamin Steak House
610 West Hartsdale Ave., White Plains
benjaminsteakhouse.com
Executive Chef: Arturo McLeod,
Chef: Mario Herrera
Benjamin Steak House–the premiere classic steakhouse a stone’s throw from home now–uses fresh Maine Lobsters, shipped daily, for its Lobster Bisque recipe. The ingredients are simple, but the flavor is bright and robust. We use Maine Lobster, which is cold water lobster, because the meat is whiter, firmer, sweeter, and more succulent than warm water lobsters. Chef McLeod says this regarding his signature dish, “I love making this soup; I have been making it for over 20 years, but this recipe was perfected for Benjamin’s. The flavor that comes from the stock is so rich; I used to drink just the stock.”
Ingredients for the base:
5 lbs of small lobsters, cut down to four parts, with the chunks removed
4 carrots, cut down into fours
2 onions, cut down into fours
15 pieces of whole, peeled garlic
2 tb. Olive Oil
Sautee all of the above ingredients for two minutes. Add ½ c of brandy Add 5 quarts of water – bring up to a boil Simmer for about 20 minutes. Add 3 quarts of heavy cream and 1 quart of milk Add 8 oz of lobster base paste. Strain all of the carrots, onions, and garlic–reserve the chunks of lobster. Add 5 spoonfuls of flour and 1 cup of clarified butter to make a roux. Gently stir the roux into the soup base to make it nice and smooth. Add the large chunks of lobster back into the soup.