MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.06

      Title: Lobster & Shrimp Bisque
 Categories: Seafood, Soups, Vegetables, Dairy, Citrus
      Yield: 6 Servings

     16 c  Water
  1 1/2 c  Dry white wine
      2    Live lobsters (1-1/4 lb ea)
    3/4 lb Large shrimp; shelled,
           - reserving shells, and
           - deveined
      2 md Onions
      1    Fennel bulb; chopped
           - reserving fronds
      4 lg Carrots; chopped
      1    Celery rib; chopped
      2    Bay leaves
    3/4 ts Dried thyme; crumbled
    1/4 c  Fresh parsley sprigs
    1/4 ts Black peppercorns
      1    Navel orange's zest;
           - removed in strips with a
           - vegetable peeler
      3 cl Garlic; minced
      2 tb Olive oil
    1/4 ts Saffron threads
     28 oz Can whole tomatoes; drained,
           - chopped
    1/4 c  Heavy cream
  1 1/2 tb Pernod
      1 tb Fresh lemon juice

  In a large (5 to 6 quart) kettle combine water and 1 cup wine and
  bring to a boil. Plunge lobsters into liquid head-first and return
  liquid to a boil. Simmer lobsters, covered, 9 minutes. With tongs
  plunge lobsters immediately into cold water to stop cooking,
  reserving cooking liquid.

  Working over a bowl to catch the juices, twist off tails and claws
  and reserve juices. Discard tomalley, head sacs, and any roe and
  remove meat from tails and claws, reserving it separately.

  To reserved cooking liquid add lobster shells, reserved lobster
  juices and shrimp shells, 1 onion, quartered, 1 cup fennel, half of
  carrots, celery, 1 bay leaf, thyme, parsley, peppercorns, and zest.
  Simmer mixture gently, uncovered, skimming froth occasionally,
  1-1/4 hours.

  Strain stock through a large sieve set over a large bowl and pour
  into cleaned kettle. Boil stock until reduced to about 6 cups and
  return to bowl. Stock, cooked lobster, and shelled raw shrimp keep,
  covered separately and chilled, 1 day.

  In a kettle cook remaining onion, chopped fine, remaining 1 cup
  fennel, remaining carrots, remaining bay leaf, garlic, and salt and
  pepper to taste in oil over moderate heat, stirring, until
  vegetables are softened.

  Add remaining 1/2 cup wine and boil until mostly evaporated. Add
  saffron, tomatoes, and shellfish stock and simmer, covered,
  20 minutes. Add shrimp and reserved lobster claw meat (reserving
  tail meat) and simmer 2 minutes, or until shrimp are cooked
  through. Remove soup from heat and remove 6 shrimp, reserving them.
  Discard bay leaf.

  In a blender puree soup in batches until smooth, transferring as it
  is pureed to a very fine sieve set over a saucepan. Force soup
  through sieve, pressing hard on solids, and whisk in cream, Pernod,
  and salt and pepper to taste. Heat bisque over moderate heat until
  hot (do not boil) and stir in lemon juice.

  Chop fine reserved shrimp and lobster tail meat and divide among
  heated soup bowls. Ladle soup over shellfish and garnish with
  reserved fennel fronds.

  Makes about 7 cups.

  Recipe by Gourmet Magazine, March 1994

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