St. Francis Winery & Vineyards in Sonoma

During October, NOAA Fisheries is celebrating National Seafood Month. Numerous wineries have provided us with many seafood recipes that use wine as one of the ingredients. Browse the many fish and seafood recipes on the Wine Trail Traveler website.

Check out this recipe for Lobster Bisque with Fresh Tarragon from St. Francis Vineyard & Winery in Sonoma.

Lobster Bisque with Fresh Tarragon

Ingredients

1¼ pound whole uncooked lobster
¼ cup butter
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1 celery rib, chopped
2 tablespoons flour
1 quart clam juice
4 tablespoons tomato paste
¼ cup Brandy
1 cup St. Francis Chardonnay
1 sprig fresh thyme
Pinch saffron threads or powder
1 cup heavy cream
Salt to taste
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon

Directions

1. Cut the whole lobster in half lengthwise and remove the meat from the tail, coarsely chop the tail and body shells. Save the claws to use later.
2. Heat the butter in a large heavy bottomed soup pot. Add the shells and stir over a moderately high flame.
3. Add onion, carrot and celery. Cook the vegetables to soften.
4. Add flour and cook for a few minutes.
5. Add Brandy, carefully alight.
6. Then add the clam juice and wine; bring the bisque to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 45 minutes.
7. Add the claws and cook for 15 minutes. Remove the claws, shell the meat and set aside for later use.
8. Strain the bisque, pressing to extract as much liquid from the shells and the vegetables as possible.
9. Pour the bisque into another pot; add cream and reduce bisque to desired consistency by simmering over a medium flame.
10. Take claw meat, chop and add to bisque. Season to taste.
11. Add freshly chopped tarragon, serve hot.

Serves 6

Recipe provided by St. Francis Winery & Vineyards, Sonoma Valley, California.

Cheers!
Kathy