Lobster & Tarragon Bisque en Croûte

⏱ 110 min · Serves 4

A velvety cognac-laced lobster bisque, sealed under a golden dome of puff pastry that puffs and cracks at the table to release a cloud of tarragon-scented steam. Pure old-school theatre, and worth every minute.

Per serving: 712 kcal · 34.0g protein · 38.0g carbs · 45.0g fat

Ingredients

• 2 whole cooked lobsters (about 600g each), or 4 lobster tails plus 500g shells
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 30g unsalted butter
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 carrot, finely chopped
• 1 celery stick, finely chopped
• 1 fennel bulb, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 tbsp tomato purée
• 60ml cognac or brandy
• 150ml dry white wine
• 1.2 litres fish stock
• 2 ripe tomatoes, chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• 4 sprigs fresh tarragon, plus 2 tbsp chopped leaves
• 1 tsp sweet paprika
• pinch cayenne pepper
• 2 tbsp long-grain rice (to thicken)
• 150ml double cream
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• sea salt and white pepper
• 320g all-butter puff pastry
• 1 egg, beaten, for glazing
• flaky sea salt, to finish

Method

1. Pick the meat from the lobsters, keeping the claw and tail meat in neat pieces. Cover and chill. Chop the shells roughly with a heavy knife or crush with a rolling pin.
2. Heat the oil in a large heavy pan and fry the shells over high heat for 5 minutes until fragrant and deep red. Add the butter, onion, carrot, celery and fennel and cook 8 minutes until softened.
3. Stir in the garlic and tomato purée and cook 2 minutes. Pour in the cognac, stand back and flame it (or simply let it bubble away for 1 minute), then add the wine and reduce by half.
4. Add the stock, tomatoes, bay leaf, tarragon sprigs, paprika, cayenne and rice. Simmer gently, uncovered, for 40 minutes.
5. Fish out the largest shells and bay leaf. Blitz the remaining soup thoroughly with a stick blender, then push through a fine sieve, pressing hard to extract everything. Discard the debris.
6. Return the bisque to the pan, stir in the cream, chopped tarragon and lemon juice and simmer 5 minutes until it coats a spoon. Season with salt and white pepper. Cool until just warm — important, or the pastry will slump.
7. Heat the oven to 200C fan / 220C / gas 7. Divide the reserved lobster meat between 4 ovenproof soup bowls or ramekins (about 300ml each) and ladle in the warm bisque, leaving 2cm clear at the top.
8. Roll the pastry to 4mm and cut 4 rounds 3cm wider than your bowls. Brush the bowl rims with egg, drape a pastry round over each and press the overhang firmly down onto the outside of the rim to seal. Brush the tops with egg and sprinkle with flaky salt.
9. Bake on a tray for 18–20 minutes until the domes are puffed, deep golden and crisp. Serve immediately, inviting everyone to crack through the lid with a spoon.