Learn to make Ocean & Acre’s luxurious lobster bisque

Ocean & Acre’s lobster bisque is one of the most luxurious soups I’ve ever had. My wife and I order it every time we visit. We’d love to know if we can make it at home and wow our dinner guests. Will they share the recipe?

— Ian Bell, Alpharetta

Lobster bisque has been on the menu at Ocean & Acre since it opened in 2019. When executive chef Juan Ramirez shared the recipe, he wrote, “The lobster bisque highlights the ‘ocean’ side of our name — a nod to the sea.

“Bisque is all about layers of flavor. Don’t rush the vegetables as they cook. Let the onions, carrots and celery cook slowly so they release their sweetness. That’s the backbone of the soup. And when you add the sherry, let it simmer for a minute to burn off the alcohol. You’ll get that deep, nutty aroma instead of a raw bite.”

The restaurant kitchen prepares shrimp stock and lobster stock and uses them interchangeably for this soup. Cooks use the shells from shrimp or the shells and heads from lobster and simmer them in water with onions, carrots, celery, garlic, tomato paste and a bay leaf, then strain and refrigerate the stock. No lobster shells on hand?

“Stop by Ocean & Acre, order a lobster, and we’ll send you home with the shells,” Ramirez offered. Or, do as we did and use lobster soup base. It resembles a paste and is found in the soup aisle at the grocery store.

Each serving of the bisque at the restaurant is a little more than a cup. The luxurious soup is garnished with buttery brioche croutons that soak up the bisque like a sponge, along with a swirl of creme fraiche and chopped herbs such as parsley, chives or chervil.

Ocean & Acre’s Lobster Bisque

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
• 2 carrots, finely diced (about 1 cup)
• 2 celery ribs, finely diced (about 1 cup)
• 1 small onion, finely diced (about 1 cup)
• 2 minced garlic cloves
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• ½ cup dry sherry
• 4 cups shrimp or lobster stock (see note)
• 1 cup heavy cream
• ½ teaspoon Seafood Magic Cajun seasoning
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• A few dashes Tabasco, or to taste
• 6 ounces fresh lump crab meat
• 6 ounces lobster meat from tail and claws

1. In a Dutch oven, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat and add carrots, celery, onion and garlic. Cook until vegetables are tender, about 8 minutes, stirring frequently.  
2. Stir in tomato paste and cook 2 minutes to caramelize slightly.
3. Move the vegetables to one side of the Dutch oven. Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter, then stir flour into melting butter. Cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
4. Stir vegetables into butter/flour mixture. Stir in sherry and cook 1 minute.
5. Gradually whisk in stock. Reduce heat to low so mixture is simmering.
6. Stir in cream, Cajun seasoning, pepper and hot sauce. Simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
7. Add crab and lobster and simmer just until seafood is heated through, being careful not to break up pieces of crab and lobster, about 3 minutes.
8. Taste for seasoning, adding more Cajun seasoning, pepper or hot sauce if desired. Serve immediately.  

Serves 6

Per serving: 314 calories (percent of calories from fat, 67), 16 grams protein, 10 grams carbohydrates, 4 grams total sugars, 2 grams fiber, 23 grams total fat (14 grams saturated), 143 milligrams cholesterol, 656 milligrams sodium.