Lobster soup

Ingredients for 6 servings:

• 1 lobster, frozen
• 1 bunch of soup vegetables
• 1 large onion(s)
• 2 garlic cloves
• 70 g tomato paste
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 sprigs of thyme
• 3 bay leaves
• 400 ml white wine
• 400 ml lobster stock
• 400 ml fish stock
• 150 ml vermouth, white
• 100 ml cream
• 1 pinch of cayenne pepper
• 1 pinch of salt

Instructions

Working time approx. 20 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 55 minutes; Total time approx. 1 hour 15 minutes

Starter for a multi-course menu

Thaw the lobster and—if it hasn’t been precooked—boil it in plenty of hot water until tender, about 15 minutes. Then remove the meat and set it aside. Don’t discard any scraps, especially the carcasses; you’ll need them later. If the lobster is already precooked, you can skip the heating step and remove the meat immediately. Peel the garlic cloves and onion, trim the vegetables, and chop everything finely. Let it brown a little in the hot olive oil, then add the lobster remains—chopped the carcasses a little if necessary—and roast them as well. Stir occasionally. After a few minutes on high heat, add the tomato paste, thyme, and bay leaves and simmer until everything has browned nicely and smells pleasantly roasted. Don’t worry if the contents of the pot look messy. Deglaze with white wine, loosen any juices, stirring thoroughly, and bring to a brief boil, covered. Pour in the lobster and fish stock and vermouth. Cover and simmer on low heat for about 30 minutes. Strain the soup through a sieve and season with cream, salt, and cayenne pepper. Add the lobster meat to the soup, heat through, and serve. Regarding the quantities, please note that this dish is intended as a small appetizer for 6 people, perhaps as the prelude to a multi-course meal.