Lobster soup

Lobster soup

30 min
A delicious, creamy lobster soup that can be made with meat from any part of the lobster, in combination with prawns and salmon roe. This luxurious dish works well as a starter or a main – either way it won’t disappoint your guests. The recipe is similar to a classic seafood soup but the addition of lobster takes it to the next level. The use of lobster stock further heightens the flavour. Enjoy!
https://www.arlafoods.co.uk/recipes/lobster-soup/

Instructions

  • Melt the butter in a heavy pan at a high heat, but take care to make sure it doesn’t brown.
  • Add the onion and, as it softens, gradually add the water, lobster stock, chicken stock and paprika.
  • Let the soup cook on a low heat for around 10 minutes.
  • Strain the soup then add the cream, salt and pepper and bring to the boil.
  • Add the lobster meat and prawns to the soup and heat thoroughly, but not to boiling point. Add salt and pepper as required.
  • Serve the soup in warm soup bowls with a dollop of sour cream and salmon roe on top of each serving. Decorate with dill and enjoy with a slice of toasted rustic bread.
Enjoy!

Lobster soup

Do bigger lobsters taste better?
There is no proven correlation between the size and taste of a lobster, despite claims to the contrary. The real determining factor is freshness and how the lobster has been cooked, and it is likely due to the latter point that some believe larger lobsters taste better – they are simply more difficult to overcook due to their size.
Does lobster taste like prawn or crab?
Lobster is less sweet than prawns but doesn’t have the same crunchy nature. While the texture is somewhat similar to crab, it has a much richer, yet delicate taste – perfect for those who prefer a milder but satisfying flavour.
Why is my lobster meat blue?
This recipe uses lobster meat or tail that is already cooked, so it should definitely not be blue – if you see any discoloration then the meat is bad. Uncooked fresh lobster on the other hand should have translucent meat and a blue-green shaded shell.
How do you know if lobster is overcooked?
Overcooked lobster will be rubbery and chewy, which is a sure-fire way to ruin the impact of this indulgent soup, so take care not to overdo the meat. As the lobster in this recipe is already pre-cooked, avoid high heats or too much time in the pan – the goal is to make the meat warm throughout and help it take on the flavours of the broth.

Ingredients

Butter
20 g
Yellow onion, chopped
1
Water
500 ml
Concentrated lobster stock
2 tbsp
Chicken stock
200 ml
Mild paprika
1 tsp
Double cream
200 ml
Sea salt
1 tsp
Freshly ground pepper
1 pinch
Lobster meat or lobster tails, cooked
175 g
Cooked prawns, peeled
100 g
Sour cream, 38%
150 ml
Salmon roe
50 g
For serving
Dill
Rustic bread, toasted
150 g

A rich flavour

Lobster bisque has been enjoyed in all its creamy glory since the 1600s when it first appeared in France. Likely a dish originally created by fishermen to use whatever catch they had each day, the type of shellfish it contained has varied over the years, but by the 1950s lobster was firmly established as the most glorious of options.

Dress to impress

This lobster soup is a kinder option for your guests as it doesn’t involve removing meat from any awkward parts of the tricky crustacean, such as the claws, which require a specific technique to make the most. For that reason, when eating a whole lobster, it is wise to wear a special bib as the need to crack the shell and dig deep to unlock the tastiest flesh is a guaranteed way to make a mess!

A lasting taste: how to store lobster soup

The best way to store your lobster soup is to allow it to cool then keep in an airtight container in the fridge. Doing so should extend the soup’s life by two or three days. Keeping in mind that this recipe only takes 30 minutes to make however and uses lobster meat that has already been cooked, we highly recommend you prepare it from scratch when possible to take advantage of the freshest flavour.