Ingredients:

2 to 6 Lobster tails, (depending on the size and just how much you love lobster)

¼ Cup Madiera Wine

2 Tablespoons Butter

1 Cuo coarsely chopped onion

4 cloves of garlic, smashed

½ cup coarsely chopped celery, including some leaves

½ cup dry white wine

1 Cup coarsely cut tomato

4 whole basil leaves, shredded

½ bay leaf, crumbled

4 cups cubed, peeled turnips

2 large carrots, peeled and cubed

3 Tablespoons flour

2 cups milk, (or heavy cream, if you want it rich)

2 teaspoons tomato paste

Salt and White Pepper to taste

Directions:

In a large pot. Bring 6 cups of water to a boil over high heat.  Add the lobster tails and cover immediately, lower the het to medium-high, and steam the lobster tails for 6 to 8 minutes. Remove the lobster tails from the liquid; reserving the cooking liquid!  Set the lobster tails aside to cool.

When the lobster tails are cool enough to handle, crack the tails and remove all the lobster meat, and cut into small pieces.  Put the lobster meat into a bowl, and marinate with the madeira wine in the refrigerator while you prepare the rest of the bisque.  Cut or break the lobster shells into small pieces.

Pour the cooking liquid into a large bowl and set aside.  In the same large pot that you cooked the tails in, melt 1 Tablespoon of butter over medium-high heat. Add the lobster shells and stir to coat with buter.  Lower the heat and saute’ the shells for 20 to 25 minutes, stirriong opcasionally.  Add the onion, garlic, abd celery and saute’ for 10 minutes more, stirring.  Increase the heat to medium-high and add 3 of the 6 cuops of reserved cooking liquid, the white wine, chopped tomato, basil, and the bay leaf.  Cook, uncovered until the liquid is reduced by half, (this is the liquid-gold).. About 20 minutes.  Straqin the mixture through a sieve, extremely well, getting every drop of that lobster flavor reserved, and set aside. Discard the shells and all of the solids.

Meanwhile, In a seperate pot, combime the remaining lobster cooking liquid withthe turnuops and carrots.  Bring to a boil and cook, covered for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft.  Puree’ the vegetables and the cooking liquid, (DO NOT DRAIN) in a food processor or use a wand blender, (be careful as this will be hot), and set aside.

In a small bowl combine the remaining butter and four to make a beurre manie’; set aside.

Pour the “liquid gold” into the puree’ and out back on a medium-low burner.  Wisk together and add the buere manie’, the milk, (or heavy cream) and tomato paste.  COntinuie to wisk lioghtly as you bring it to a gentle boil.

Add the lobster meat alomhg with all the madeira and continue to heat, as is continues to thicken.  You will need a lot of salt to offset the blandness of the turnips.  Salt and white pepper to taste,

To serve, ladle the bisque, making sure to get some great pieces of loster meat to each serving,  Sprinkle with frosh basil, if desired and serve with a great white wine, if desired.

Have a great Christmas Eve, (or for whatever holiday occasion you choose).  Bon Appetitie!