Adventures in Dating By Gigi Flores and Helen Obispo

Hannah might not have time to watch movies or read, but she loves cooking. She must know that one of the ways to his heart IS through his stomach… Gigi;s favorite soup is lobster bisque, so she has added a recipe here for it, and also one for shrimp, for our readers to try out. Gigi will certainly make these things when her Jean-Claude comes to visit

From Hannah:
I love steak and lobster or shrimp and to just sit home and make it ourselves with all the trimmings including garlic bread!!!! yummy!!!!

Lobster Bisque Recipe

Ingredients
2 lobsters
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 leeks, halved lengthwise
2 onions, halved
2 stalks celery, in big chunks
2 carrots, in big chunks
6 sprigs fresh thyme
4 strips orange zest
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 cup cognac
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon whole peppercorns
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Finely grated orange zest, for garnish
Finely chopped chives, for garnish
Grilled Brie and Tomato, optional, recipe follows
Directions
Dispatch the lobsters by plunging a sharp knife directly behind its head. Cut the lobster in half lengthwise; make sure to collect the juices that will run out. Remove the claws and tail pieces and set aside. Remove the head sac and liver and discard them; cut the body into pieces. Alternately, you can have your fishmonger do this.

Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large pot over medium heat and melt 3 tablespoons butter in it. Add the chopped lobster bodies and heads and their juices, the leeks, 1 onion, celery, carrots, 1/2 the thyme, 1/2 the orange zest and the tomato paste. Cook until the shells are red and the vegetables are soft, about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and carefully pour in 1/4 cup cognac. Ignite the cognac with a long kitchen match and let the alcohol burn off. Return to the heat, sprinkle in the flour, stir, and cook for another 2 minutes. Add water to cover and stir up all the browned bits on the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon. Add the cream and bring to a boil. Immediately decrease the heat and gently simmer until the soup is reduced and thickened, about 30 to 45 minutes. Strain this into a clean pot and season with salt and pepper if needed; keep warm.

Meanwhile, heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter in an ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Add remaining onion, thyme, bay leaf, and orange zest along with the peppercorns and let this mixture cook for about 5 minutes. Add the lobster claws and tails; toss to coat with the fat and flavors. Remove the pan from the heat and carefully pour in the remaining 1/4 cup cognac. Ignite the cognac with a long kitchen match and let the alcohol burn off. Put the pan into the oven and roast until the lobster pieces are cooked through, about 15 minutes. Remove the lobster pieces and set aside. When they are cool enough to handle, remove the lobster meat from the claws and tails. Chop the meat roughly and add it to the strained bisque.

To serve, ladle the bisque into warmed soup bowls.

Lobster, Shrimp and Andouille Sausage over Pasta

Ingredients
1 pound baby shells pasta
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 pound mushrooms, thickly sliced
1 whole white onion, sliced
1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
1 tablespoon dried herbes de Provence
Sea salt
8 ounces cooked lobster meat
8 medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 pound andouille sausage, cut into pieces
1 tablespoon white wine
4 medium fresh tomatoes, quartered
1 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup heavy cream

Directions
Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling, salted water according to package directions until it is al dente.

While the pasta is cooking, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the mushrooms, onion, garlic, herbes de Provence, salt, to taste, and cook until softened, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the lobster, shrimp, and sausage, reduce the heat to low, and cook until the shrimp turn pink, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the white wine and tomatoes and cook over medium-high heat for 3 minutes. Add the basil and cream and cook on high heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the pasta, taste and adjust seasoning. Serve in large pasta bowls.

Mmmmmm…double the lobster… how yummy do these dishes sound?