A bit late for Valentine
I was taught how to make the perfect bisque by a man called Reg when I started work at The Savoy hotel London in 1974, Reg who was 70 years old had been working at the Savoy since 1918 when it was opened by Escoffier. Pan fry your vegetables celery,carrot onions with crushed lobster shells, flame with cognac, add fresh tomatoes white wine and fish stock, bay leave, crushed pepper and salt simmer for 30 minutes add a little anchovy essence, strain twice once through a course strainer pounding out all the goodness from the shells then though a fine sieve. finish with a little cream and slices of lobster. in the 70s we added flour just after the cognac to make a roux before adding the stock today its perhaps best to thicken with arrowroot or potatoe starch[fecule]. I also would add a few fresh prawns this helps with the flavour and costs steve
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