Lobster Bisque PROCESS: This recipe is very involved, if you watch the video and study the recipe, you will get good results. Cooking the Lobsters: Cook the lobsters in one gallon of water for about 8 minutes Remove from water and place in a large bowl, allow to cool to room temperature Remove meat from tail and claws, (see video) reserve shells and juice for stock. Cut claw and tail meat into bite sized chunks, cover and reserve in the fridge. Lobster Stock: Heat olive oil and butter in a large heavy stockpot at medium high heat. Add onion, celery, carrot, tomato, the lobster shells and juice, cook for a couple minutes Add the remaining ingredients and stir. Cook for about 5 minutes, do not allow this to brown. Add the water you cooked the lobster in Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer slowly for an hour. Strain stock into a clean sauce pan large enough to hold it, discard shells. Return stock to a boil and reduce to one quart. Lobster Bisque In a clean sauce pan, heat butter, add onions, shallots and garlic, sauté Add flour and stir to form a roux. Add 2 cups lobster stock and stir with a whisk, the mixture should become very thick. Allow this to heat all the way through, add cream. Add additional lobster stock to thin soup to a good thickness Simmer for 15 minutes at low heat so the flour can cook out. Season with sherry, salt and pepper. Add the reserved lobster meat to the bisque. Heat cognac and flame to release alcohol, add to bisque. Finish with soft butter. Serve piping hot. * You may reserve a couple claws or lobster chunks to garnish the top of the soup. * Check out the lobster stock video for a slightly different recipe and technique. INGREDIENTS: Cook the Lobsters: 2 Live Maine Lobsters 1 gallon water Lobster Stock: 2 tablespoons olive oil ½ stick butter 1 cup onion, large dice 1 cup celery, large dice 1 cup carrot, large dice 1 tomato, large chopped lobster shells from two lobsters 4 cloves garlic, rough chopped 1 shallot, large chopped 1 large sprig parsley 2 ounces cognac or brandy 4 sprigs fresh thyme 1 teaspoon kosher salt ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper The Lobster Bisque: 1 stick butter 1 cup onion, minced 1 tablespoon shallot, minced 1 teaspoon garlic, minced 1/2 cup all purpose flour 1 quart lobster stock 2 cups heavy cream 2 oz cooking Sherry 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1 teaspoon black pepper 2 tablespoons butter 2 ounces cognac

French Onion Soup PROCESS: Melt butter in a heavy gauge sauce pan or stock pot> Add the onions and saute until they are wilted and medium brown. Season with salt and pepper Sift the flour into the onion and butter a little at a time, stirring constantly to form a roux. Allow this to cook for a couple of minutes at low heat to cook the roux. Add the sherry and stir to deglaze the pan and loosen the tasty nuggets of jot that are stuck to the pan. This is called fond, it has lots of big onion flavor Slowly add the beef stock, stirring constantly with a whisk or wooden spoon. Simmer at a very low heat for 30 minutes. Croutons: Place bread on cutting board, cut them into the size of your soup bowl. brush lightly with soft butter, season with Steak Spice or salt and pepper and parmesan cheese. Bake at 400-dgrees until golden brown. To serve: Pour soup into crocks, bowls or coffee cups. Top each with a crouton and two slices of provolone cheese. You may add swiss or any other cheese you like... ( NO not American) Pre-heat the broiler to high. Place the soups on a baking sheet under the broiler. Broil until the cheese melts and turns golden brown. Serve on a plate... be careful, the soup will be really hot! *Food Guru Steak Spice recipe is available in the spice chapter and in the on-line store INGREDIENTS: The Soup: 1/4 cup butter 1 quart onions, sliced 1/3 cup flour, sifted 1 pinch nutmeg (be careful) 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1 teaspoon black pepper 1 cup cooking sherry 1 quart good beef stock provolone cheese to top the soup Croutons: 4 slices wheat bread soft butter sprinkle with Steak Spice grated parmesan cheese 2 slices provolone cheese per bowl of soup.

Tomato Basil Soup PROCESS: Heat a sauce pan to medium high, add olive oil, diced onions, chopped garlic and fennel. Season with salt and pepper Cook the vegetables until they begin to soften. Add the tomatoes and allow to simmer at LOW heat for ten minutes with the lid on. Tomatoes may be canned or fresh While waiting for the tomatoes to simmer, heat heavy whipping cream on high in a saucepan. Don't let the cream boil up and out of the pan and all over the stove! When the cream is hot and the tomatoes are bubbling, add the cream to the tomatoes. We need to heat both the cream and tomatoes or the acid in the tomatoes could make the cream curdle. Let the soup simmer for a few minutes and then add fresh basil. Blend the soup together with an immersion blender. You may also use a blender or food processor, be careful the liquid is very hot! Season with a little salt, pepper and a few squirts of your favorite hot sauce. To serve: Top the soup with a fresh basil leaf, some freshly grated parmesan cheese, and a few homemade croutons. * for best results season the soup with The Food Guru's Steak Spice, see recipe spice chapter. INGREDIENTS: 2 1/2 cups of canned whole tomatoes 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 cup onion, diced 1 tablespoon garlic, minced 1 cup fresh fennel, diced 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, sliced 1 cup heavy whipping cream hot sauce to taste