The lobster soup recipe
for your table
Boil the whole lobster or the tails for four to five minutes in plenty of salted boiling water, remove them, and leave them to cool. Crack open the shells and remove the meat. Cover the meat and refrigerate it; it goes back in only at the end. Use the shells for the soup.
Fry the shells with the onion, leek, and carrot in butter until they turn orange, then stir in the tomato purée. Deglaze with the white wine and reduce until almost dry; otherwise, the wine’s acidity will linger as a sharp edge in the soup.
Pour in the fish stock and let everything steep gently for half an hour uncovered. Strain the soup, then press the shells firmly with the rounded side of a spoon, because most of the flavor is in that last bit of liquid.
Bring the strained soup to a simmer and stir in the cream. Turn off the heat, add the lobster meat, and let it warm through. Cooking it further will make the meat tough and rubbery, so wait until the very last moment. Finish with finely chopped tarragon.
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The story
In the Netherlands, lobster soup is mainly served at Christmas, and that has to do with the price: a lobster is an expense you do not make every week. That is precisely why it is a shame to overcook the meat in the soup. In classical cuisine, the shells and meat are therefore handled separately, with the shells used to make the broth and the meat serving as a garnish. The difference from a bisque lies in the consistency: bisque is thickened and strained until velvety smooth, while lobster soup remains thinner and shows the pieces of lobster.
The right glass
As a Christmas starter, a small glass works better than a plate: you can see the piece of lobster, and the portion stays modest, leaving room for hunger after the soup. The 11.6-centilitre Timeless liqueur glass is the right size, with a cut diamond pattern that catches the candlelight. Bear in mind that this glass was not specifically made for hot liquids: rinse it first with hot water and pour the soup in warm, not boiling. For a generous portion, choose the 26-centilitre stemmed dessert coupe, where the lobster meat stays nicely in the center. More small sizes can be found among the liqueur glasses.
Pasabahce Timeless liqueur glass 11.6 cl (6 pieces)
RCR Timeless dessert coupe 26 cl (6 pieces)
Both sets together € 59,90.
The right tools
For lobster soup, in addition to the glass, use a fine strainer to keep the shells out of the broth and cocktail picks for the pieces of lobster. These are the bar tools we use ourselves; you can find everything in our bar tools & cocktail sets.
Glass set (our choice 01) + 2 bar tools together € 60,85.
What are you serving with it?
With lobster, you want something dry with acidity, so the cream in the soup does not become cloying. A full-bodied white wine such as a Burgundy is the most common choice, and at Christmas there is often champagne alongside it. Pour the same wine as in the soup, so the dish carries through into the glass. On each drink page, you can read the alcohol percentage, what it tastes like, which cocktails it pairs with and which glass you need.
Variations & twists
Using shrimp instead of lobster makes almost the same soup for a fraction of the price; use the shrimp heads for the broth too. A splash of dry vermouth instead of white wine gives a more herbaceous result. If you want a heartier soup, leave out the cream and thicken it with a spoonful of cooked rice, which you purée into the soup. And with a few strands of saffron in the broth, it takes on a deeper orange color. Looking for more inspiration? Browse more than 100 cocktail recipes.
Serving tip
Divide the lobster meat among the glasses before pouring in the soup, so each glass contains the same amount. Rinse the glass with hot water first and pour it away. Add the tarragon sprig at the table, because the leaves discolor within a few minutes in hot soup. Have a small spoon ready, otherwise the meat will remain at the bottom.
Good to know
Why shouldn't the lobster meat be cooked in the soup?
Lobster meat sets quickly and continues cooking afterward. If you let it cook along with the soup, the protein fibers contract, the moisture escapes, and the meat becomes tough and rubbery. So cook the lobster briefly in water, remove the meat, and add it to the soup only once the heat is off. Half a minute in hot soup is enough to bring it up to temperature.
Whole lobster or tails only?
A whole lobster gives you more: besides the tail, you have the claws, legs, and head, and it is precisely the head that gives the broth its flavor. It does take longer and you pay for the whole animal. Two tails are quicker and provide neater meat, but then you miss out on the head and have to rely more on fish stock. If you buy tails, ask whether you can get the shells as well.
Why does the wine need to be reduced first?
White wine brings acidity and aroma. You want to keep the aroma, but not the sharp acidity. Reducing the wine to almost dry after sautéing evaporates some of the acidity and alcohol, leaving the fruity side behind. If you add the wine just before serving, you taste it as a sharp edge cutting through the cream.
Tarragon with lobster
Tarragon is the herb traditionally paired with lobster in French cuisine, along with chervil and parsley. It has a light anise note that goes well with the sweet side of shellfish. Finely chop the leaves and add them after turning off the heat, as tarragon quickly loses its aroma when cooked. If you don't have any, chervil is the closest substitute.
Lobster soup as a Christmas starter in a glass
Allow for about one deciliter per person in a glass holding ten to fifteen centiliters, with a piece of lobster sticking halfway out of the soup. This is a starter you can serve while standing and that won't fill anyone up. Divide the meat among the glasses first and then pour the soup over it; otherwise one person gets everything and another gets nothing.
Frequently asked questions
How do you make lobster soup?
Boil the lobster or lobster tails for four to five minutes, remove the meat and set it aside. Fry the shells with onion, leek and carrot, stir in tomato paste and deglaze with white wine, allowing it to reduce. Add fish stock, let everything infuse for half an hour and strain the soup. Stir in the cream and add the meat only at the very last moment.
Can you make lobster soup with lobster tails?
Yes. Two shelled tails work perfectly and are quicker to cook than a whole lobster. You do miss the head and claws, and the head in particular gives the stock a lot of flavor. Make up for that with a good fish stock and an extra spoonful of tomato paste.
Why does lobster meat become tough?
By heating it for too long. The proteins in the meat contract and squeeze out its moisture, making the meat rubbery. So cook the lobster briefly, remove the meat from the shell and let it warm up only in the soup after the heat is turned off.
Which glass do you use for lobster soup as a starter?
A glass holding ten to fifteen centiliters for the small Christmas portion, with a piece of lobster in it. For a full portion, use a wider coupe of around 25 centiliters that fits a spoon. Rinse the glass with hot water beforehand and pour in the soup while hot, not boiling.
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