Tom and I enjoy watching cooking competitions and shows on TV. I have learned some valuable things for my growth in culinary skills. Ha! Typing that sounds so strange.

When we got married I didn’t know how to cook, but I could bake. My cooking abilities soared with the internet and being able to search how to do this or that. It has been a hobby I didn’t know I loved until I did.

Once I watched Andrew Zimmern make a seafood stock using leftover lobster and shrimp shells. I had no idea you could do this. I’ve made my own chicken stock for years, so I was challenged to try this.

Last week we had a dozen lobster shells leftover from our granddaughter’s fabulous dinner.

I cut up an onion, some celery, carrots and garlic sautéing them in olive oil. I was supposed to add tomato paste but didn’t have any. It was only 2 Tablespoons so I didn’t think it would make that much difference. I’ll tell you later why it did.

After the veggies were tender, not browned, I added the lobster tails and enough water to cover the shells.

Next I added bay leaves, thyme, tarragon, parsley, salt and pepper. I let this simmer on the stove for an hour.

I discarded the veggies and lobster tails, then strained the stock. The house smelled delicious!

The next day I made the bisque. I sautéed more diced onions, celery and carrots. And more of the herbs bay leaves, tarragon, thyme and parsley. Once tender, I added a roux of melted butter with flour and stirred it to coat the veggies. I poured in the lobster stock and stirred to thicken.

I took the stock and poured in the vita-mix no more than half full. I puréed it until smooth and repeated until all the stock was smooth and blended.

It was then I realized the importance of the omitted tomato paste!

It wasn’t the nice pink you expect a lobster bisque to be. It was an ugly yellowish green, and not appetizing at all.

Fortunately, I was able to borrow the tomato paste from a neighbor and blend it well. The color was now a beautiful pink.

Finally, we thawed some langostino lobsters (available frozen at Publix) and stirred them into the bisque until heated through.

I used Alton Brown’s recipe for the bisque in case you’d like to give it a try. We served it with a lemon asparagus risotto and crusty bread . This will be a new favorite!

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Welcome to our new followers. Our Foodie Friday posts are a favorite of ours. We hope you and your spouse share a hobby too. Cooking together has made our life so rich in many ways.

Have a blessed weekend,

Tom and Debi ❤️❤️