Recipe for chevre bisque, with tomato, basil, and an optional(!) lobster garnish
From the Soup & Bread Cookbook, you chose this chevre bisque garnished with lobster, and I'm delighted to share the result. (A very close second in the voting, the tortilla soup, will be coming your way in a few weeks, too.) The recipe, by Chicago chef Tamiz Haiderali, was a favorite on the Valentine's Day menu at her restaurant, Treat (now closed), and it's easy to see why. The color? Pink-ish. The mouth feel? Sensuous. The lobster? Icing on the cake, so to speak, though crab meat or shrimp would be fine and more budget-friendly substitutes. For a vegetarian soup, omit the lobster and garnish with chives from your garden.
Chevre bisque, with tomato, basil, and an optional lobster garnish
From Soup & Bread Cookbook. Serves 6; can be doubled.
Ingredients
2 Tbsp canola oil
1/2 cup chopped Spanish onion
3 Tbsp minced garlic
1/4 cup basil leaves, roughly chopped
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
12 ripe Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
6 cups water
1/2 cup goat cheese
Kosher salt and fresh black pepper, to taste
1/4 lb lobster tail, sliced, or fresh crab meat, for garnish (optional)
A few basil leaves, thinly sliced, for garnish (optional)
1/2 tsp minced fresh chives, for garnish (optional)
Directions
In a Dutch oven or heavy stock pot, heat the oil over low heat. Add the onions, and cook until translucent. Then, stir in the garlic, and cook until lightly golden, but not burned.
Toss in half of the chopped basil (2 tablespoons), plus the cayenne, and stir for 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes and 6 cups of water. Raise the heat to high, and bring to the boil; then, reduce heat to simmer and cook, uncovered, for 20 minutes. When the tomatoes are fully cooked, add the goat cheese, and stir to combine.
Remove the pot from the heat, and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of basil. Pureé with an immersion blender (or let cool slightly, then pureé in batches in a stand blender).
Serve the soup warm, garnishing each individual bowl with sliced lobster, sliced basil, and a sprinkling of fresh chives.
[Disclosure: Soup Chick earns a few pennies on books purchased through the Amazon.com link in this post.]
I'll take the garnish! ;-)
just kidding, the whole soup is amazing, but of course a little lobster takes it over the top with deliciousness
Wonderful choice! A thought just occurred to me....a couple of cans of chiles for a lobster?
Sally, the garnish was a real treat. For me, that little bit of luxury wasn't really optional. But for the soup, it is.
Marcia, we can talk....
Lobster is never optional.
Pam, I feel the same way, but if you don't have lobster, shrimp or real crab meat would be delicious, too.
What do you think about that fake crab? That's probably all I could find (that wouldn't be several years old)
Marcia, better to garnish with chives, or more basil. The soup is delicious without the seafood, so if you can't find the real thing, serve it on its own.
Thanks Lydia, I will do that!
OMG. I have to try this. Lobster is such a treat and it would be so elegant.
Kellypea, the soup looks rich but it's actually quite lean, with just a small amount of goat cheese. The lobster dresses it up, so to me, it's not optional at all!
Can this soup be frozen? Should I leave out the lobster and goat cheese until after I've thawed/reheated?
Anthony, if you wanted to make this ahead, I would freeze the base, and then add the seafood and cheese when you reheat.