Lobster Bisque

[Claire]

I went to a lobster-fest at a local restaurant this week. Believe me, this is a rare treat in a small midwestern town where a lobster tank as far as I know, has never been seen. The last time we did this a friend made lobster bisque for a party I threw (it was delicious) and this time I decided to do it myself. Now, you have to understand, I've made it many times. This time, though, it seems that no one at our table (everyone gives the shells to whoever wants them) like the tomaly, and my bisque is going to have a decidedly green color. Doesn't much bother me, but it seems like hers (and mine, in the past) were pink. Is my memory not serving me correctly (wouldn't be the first time). It probably doesn't help that there were a half dozen mussel shells that I threw in as well! It smells wonderful, and at this point I'm just boiling (stewing?) the carcasses and shells with onion, garlic, and herbs to freeze. Later I'll add some cream and sherry. Just, for some reason, I don't remember it being so ... green?

Like I said, my memory might not be correct. And I have no problem with a creamy, green soup. Just seems off to me. The lobsters were great. But is the color just because no one at the table cared for the tomaly (I think most times I've made it, it was with my family, and believe me, my parents wouldn't dream of leaving the tomaly behind!)?

 

[Andy M.]

Lots of folks don't care for tamale. It certainly wouldn't bother me to have it in the bisque. If you're feeding the bisque to the folks who left the tamale in the shells in the first place, you may have a problem.

I guess I'm saying it depends on your dinner guests' preferences.

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

Lots of folks don't care for tamale. It certainly wouldn't bother me to have it in the bisque. If you're feeding the bisque to the folks who left the tamale in the shells in the first place, you may have a problem.

I guess I'm saying it depends on your dinner guests' preferences.

And I am stumped once again. What is the tomaly, or tamale that you are referring to in this recipe? I think of tamale as a filling wrapped in masa dough, steamed and served with a sauce.

Also, many bisques have ground seafood shells mixed into the soup. The shells are gound to a powder consistancy. Is that what you are reffering too?

The pink color in most bisques I've seen comes from the addition of tomato.

Seeeeeya; Goodweed of the North

 

[4meandthem]

It is the green stuff in the body cavity.

It is not recommended to eat because of the high levels of toxins that can be stored in it like PCBs and the like.

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

It is the green stuff in the body cavity.

It is not recommended to eat because of the high levels of toxins that can be stored in it like PCBs and the like.

I enjoyed oyster stew until one day, I made the mistake of biting into a large chuck of oyster, which revealed the green stuff. I am not normal a squeamish guy. But that turned me off from eating oysters. Now I do love clams, mussels, and other shell fish. Just not oysters. Go figure.

Seeeeeya; Goodweed of the North

 

[4meandthem]

I only like oysters raw.I should say LOVE them raw.
On the half shell or in a shot glass with some vodka,horseradish,cocktail sauce.(Oyster Shooters)

 

[Claire]

I'll have to look up the correct spelling of what I learned as tomaly (tamale in various spellings being the dish of meat wrapped in masa and some kind of leaf). As far as this green stuff not being good to eat, I don't care for it myself, and obviously others don't as well, but it's more a texture thing. Strained and re-strained, it doesn't hurt the soup (the flavor being not different from the rest of the lobster), I just had more of it than usual this time. Not being good for you? My father is 80 and has health we'd all envy, his big brother is 90 and ditto for health. So it didn't occur to me to scrape it out of the shells before making the soup. I guess in previous times it just didn't affect the color as much.

Daddy would live on raw oysters and clams once upon a time, if he could have. I don't care for them. Now both he and my husband, whenever they get together, buy their oysters, "lightly steamed." they still look raw to me and are a forget it. I always get the sensation that part of the raw oyster is in my mouth, the other working its way to my stomach.

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

Daddy would live on raw oysters and clams once upon a time, if he could have. I don't care for them. Now both he and my husband, whenever they get together, buy their oysters, "lightly steamed." they still look raw to me and are a forget it. I always get the sensation that part of the raw oyster is in my mouth, the other working its way to my stomach.

Eewwww! Think I'd rather eat Erma and Clem. (Cuck & run).

Story from long ago, penned for our wonderful Claire. It's all about those exercised muscles. Two wild turkeys struttin' there stuff: " Hey, Girly-boy turkey. let me fluff my tail feathers in front of you. The women are gonna go for me. Just watch me strut my stuff, and take lessons boy."


"Get outta here, you bag of goose-down." I got a three inch dew-claw on the back of each leg that says you better find a new neighborhood."


"Why that little dew claw of yours aint big enough to menace an earth worm."


"Yeah, well an earth worm has more strength than that puny neck of yours, But then again, it don't take much to hold up that empty head."


"C'mere boy. You're gonna find out right now how empty my head is."


"Yeah fluff boy, bring it on."


"Gawk, ow, you're gonna pay for that!..."
"Arrrgh, get yer foot outta my eye!"
"#*@$# bird brain. Take that!" POW


Off in the distance - "Hey Erma. Wanna come over to my tree? It's quiet there. We won't have to listen to those amatures over there."


"Why yes, Clem."


"Oh, and did I mention that I heard some human squakin' his turkey caller over by those two yardbirds?"


"Why no you didn't. Do you think we should warn them?"


"Oh no. The human's far to close. It's too dangerous. You just come with me to my tree. We can watch from there."


"Well, if you thinks it's too dangerous. And besides, a bath in scalding, I mean hot water, will quiet those two."


"Yup, it's gonna be tough tukey for those boys come thanksgiving day, if you get my drift."


"Oh Clem, you're so bad..."


KPOW


"Claire. Are those turkeys ready to come outta the oven yet? The aroma is killin' me. I'm starved."


"Well you're just gonna have to wait. You shot two of the toughest Toms I've ever cooked. I just might have to put 'em in a stew."


"Then how 'bout a sandwich to hold me over."


"You got two arms and two legs. Come in here and make yourself a sandwich. And while your at it, you can peel some spuds."


Hubby sneaks up on his best friend/wife and plants a kiss on her cheek. "Honey, I love you so much. But you know, with your cooking, maybe we could sell that turkey meet to shoe stores, you know, to make tennis shoe soles."


She whirls and pokes him in the ribs with two fingers. He grins from ear to ear as he laughingly continues "Or maybe we can sell them to the road commision, you know to mix with tar for road construction."


He's at a dead run from the kitchen now as Claire picks up a sopping wet sponge to hurl at her goofball Husband.


Just another day in the life of Claire.


Seeeeeya; Goodweed of the North

 

[Kayelle]

It is the green stuff in the body cavity.

It is not recommended to eat because of the high levels of toxins that can be stored in it like PCBs and the like.

I was thinking the same thing, 4me. No, green lobster bisque wouldn't be for me. But that's just me.

 

[buckytom]

tomalley is the liver and pancreas of the lobster. it's not much different from eating the same in other animals psycologically speaking, but as the oceans get polluted, so does the ocean's creatures.

it's great for flavouring soups and sauces, but i find it nasty by itself.

green bisque?

i saw an episode of colameco's food show where the chef put the head and legs of the lobster in a silver duck press to extract a liquid which was used for a finishing sauce. all that good head and carapace juice.

 

[Claire]

Yeah, I found the color unappetizing, and think, since my freezer space is limited, that it will probably go away without being used. Don't get me wrong, I tasted it, tasted fine, didn't make me sick. But ... just doesn't look good. A shame, given the amount of time and energy (and the fact that the entire house smelled like it for days, and something pleasant to smell for an hour or two loses it soon after that!).