at table - thankful

Lewis Bay, Cape Cod

November 8, 2014

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Can't help it.

This time of year always brings a flood of memories. Family, friends, friends that are family, family that are friends...  and all the years - on two coasts - of gatherings around tables filled with food. Shared stories, shared laughter, and lots of shared song.

It is life at a human pace, each of us relishing the simple joy of being together - 

"At Table".

The tables where we watched our children grow up and the tables where we collectively shared the loss of those suddenly not present any more. 

Our shared table has always been about our shared friendships.

And I am so very thankful for that.

And for all the fabulous food as well!

Once again, our gathering will be small this year. Just six for dinner.

Tyler requested we have two old favorites from Thanksgivings past -

A fried turkey - from our Florida years - 

and 

lobster bisque - a nod to ol' Cape Cod. 

And, of course, there will always be a wink to our L.A. years whenever mashed potatoes are served!

So, as we approach another holiday season I tip my hat to the past and look ahead to the many changes that will inevitably find their way into our lives in the coming year.

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Lobster Bisque*

*from the cookbook "City Cuisine"by Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger.  

This is a commitment. 

A BIG commitment. 

There are 2 stocks to be made, 3 straining/pressings, not to mention a Cuisinart blade to be sacrificed!!

But it is well worth all the effort because it is the most sublime lobster bisque you will ever have.

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Stage 1

Make @ 5 cups of fish stock. 

Okay - you can buy it..... but please do not use a canned version. You can buy fresh fish stock at Whole Foods, which, in a pinch, is quite tasty.... but....... your own will, undoubtedly, be much better. 

Freeze it if necessary. I tend to make this soup in stages over the course of a few weeks. 

Stage 2 

Boil up four 1 1/2 lb lobsters. Let cool and then remove and reserve the tail and claw meat. Do this over a large bowl saving all the drippings/shells. 

You can save the lobster meat for another use or put a big chunk of it in the bisque when serving.

(That's what I like to do.) 

Freeze the lobster meat.

the beginning to a great stock - crushed lobster shells

Now the fun begins!

Put all the shells and bodies in a large plastic bag. Using a mallet or hammer, crush them up as best you can. Then grind them as fine as possible, along with any reserved drippings, in a food processor. This is best done in batches. And if you have an old blade ... use that one.

Feel free to freeze the ground up shells if you want to wait for the next step.

Stage 3 - the actual stock

8 tab butter

1/4 c olive oil

2 med onions, finely chopped

2 carrots, peeled and chopped

3 stalks of celery, chopped

1 1/2 tsp salt

2 c dry white wine

1 c Maderia 

5 c fish stock (the one you made... or bought)

3 c. tomato juice

1 head of garlic, with skins, cut into quarters

1/2 bunch fresh parsley

1 tbl black peppercorns

2 bay leaves

1 1/2 tsp dried tarragon

1 tsp dried thyme

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

Melt the butter and the oil in a large stockpot over med/high heat. Cook onions, carrots, celery and salt until golden - @ 10 min.  Stir in the crushed shells, white wine, and Maderia. Turn the heat to high and cook until the liquid is reduced by half.

Add the fish stock and tomato juice. Bring to a boil and carefully skim and discard foam that rises to the surface. Add the remaining ingredients and cook at a simmer, uncovered, for 1 hr and 15 min.

Strain through fine sieve and refrigerate the stock up to 2 days or freeze it.

Approximately 7 1/2 c of delicious lobster stock

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 Stage 4 - Making the bisque

2 tbl butter

12 shallots, thinly sliced

12 mushrooms, thinly sliced

1 c brandy

1 c Maderia

6 c lobster stock

1 1/2 c heavy cream

1/4 tsp fresh lemon juice

dash of tabasco

Beurre Manié: 1 tbl softened butter, 2 tbl flour. Mix together with your fingers to create a smooth paste.

saute the shallots and mushrooms in butter and oil

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Melt the butter in a large stockpot over med/high heat. Salute shallots till golden. Add mushrooms and cook over high heat until lightly browned.

Remove from the heat and add the brandy and Maderia, reserving 1/4 c of each for the final seasoning. Cook over high heat until the liquid is reduced by half. Add lobster stock and return to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer and cook, uncovered,  for @ 30 min - depending on the strength of your stock. (Weaker stocks will need to cook longer to concentrate the flavor). Occasionally skim and discard foam that rises to the top.

When the broth has a strong, almost salty, lobster flavor, add the cream and bring it back to a boil, skimming foam occasionally. Press the beurre manié on to the end of a whisk and whisk into the broth until dissolved. Cook for an added 5 minutes over high heat, whisking occasionally. 

take a deep breath. you are almost there.......

Strain through a sieve, pressing with the back of a ladle to extract all the deliciousness. 

I tend to stop here and refrigerate until the next day - which would be Thanksgiving - and do the reheating / finishing right before serving. But - it's your choice.

Season the bisque with lemon juice, reserved brandy and Maderia, and Tabasco.

Serve.

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Happy Thanksgiving!!

our little Thanksgiving

November, 2013