Icelandic lobster soup is an amazing recipe. It is delicately flavored with sherry and thyme, everyone will love it!
I had never made my own seafood stock before and wow, how easy and what a treat. Simply use the shells from your shellfish with some veggies. This recipe can be made with lobster alone, or lobster and shrimp which was how I made it or it can be made with langostinos.
Similar to a lobster bisque, this Icelandic lobster and shrimp recipe will be a regular in my repertoire, absolutely delicious!
Icelandic Lobster Soup
Ingredients
- For the stock:
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 3 to 4 lobster tail shells
- Shrimp shells from 1 pound large 16/20 count shrimp
- 1/4 cup dry sherry
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 1 Bouquet garni: 5 each sprigs thyme and parsley 1 bay leaf and 5 whole peppercorns
- 1 large shallot peeled
- 1 leek roughly chopped
- 2 large carrots roughly chopped
- 2 stalks celery roughly chopped
- pinch white pepper
- pinch salt
- 6 to 7 cups water
- For the soup:
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 shallot minced
- 1/3 cup dry sherry
- 1 heaping tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 14 oz can plum tomatoes and the juice
- 4 cups shrimp and lobster stock
- 3 sprigs thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 3 to 4 lobster tails chopped
- 1 pound shelled large shrimp chopped
- White pepper and salt to taste
- Chili oil (optional) for garnish
Instructions
- In a stockpot over medium-high heat, sauté the shrimp and lobster shells until pink.
- Add the sherry and white wine, and simmer until reduced, about 5 minutes.
- Add the rest of the ingredients and enough water to cover, about 6 to 7 cups.
- Simmer (do not boil) uncovered, for an hour, or until reduced to about 4 cups of liquid.
- Strain through a fine mesh cloth. Discard solids.
- For the soup:
- In a large saucepan over medium heat, sauté the shallot in butter until translucent.
- Add the sherry and simmer until reduced by half.
- Add the tomato paste, tomatoes, stock, paprika and thyme. Simmer gently, covered for 20 minutes. Remove the thyme and puree with an immersion blender. Pass soup through a fine mesh cloth or sieve.
- Return to low heat and temper the cream with some of the hot soup, and slowly add to the soup.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Add the lobster and shrimp to the gently simmering soup.
- Simmer for 3 minutes, turn off the heat and cover for 2 to 3 minutes more.
- Serve immediately, garnished with a drizzle of chili oil, and a sprig of thyme.
Nutrition