Caesar Salad & Lobster Bisque
Besides a martini, a Caesar salad and a lobster bisque set the tone to recreate a steakhouse dinner at home.
These recipes are inspired by Murray’s, an iconic steakhouse in Minneapolis run by the same family for three generations.
Classic Caesar Salad
serves 4 (dressing makes about 2 cups)
Shopping List
for the Caesar dressing
58g garlic confit
14g anchovy fillets
10g Dijon mustard
7g raw garlic
40g egg yolk (about 2 yolks)
35g lemon juice
80g Parmesan or Pecorino
32g olive oil
188g canola oil
6-10g (to taste) fish sauce, soy sauce, or Worcestershire
1/2 tbsp black pepper, coarsely ground
salt to taste
for the croutons
3 cups sourdough, french loaf, or really good bread sliced into 3/4” cubes
3-4 tbsp garlic oil, olive oil, canola oil, or melted butter to coat
1/4 tsp garlic powder
salt to taste
for the salad
2-3 heads romaine, discarding the outer leaves, rinsed and dried, and chopped into bite size pieces
lemons, halved for juicing
Parmesan or Pecorino
black pepper
Caesar dressing
extra anchovies, if desired
Equipment
food processor, blender, or immersion blender
sheet tray
Steps
for the Caesar dressing
In a food processor, blend the garlic confit, anchovy fillets, Dijon mustard, raw garlic, egg yolk, lemon juice, and cheese until smooth.
Mix together the canola oil and olive oil. Slowly stream in the oils to emulsify until you’ve reach your desired consistency.
Finish with black pepper and fish sauce. Taste and adjust the seasoning with the fish sauce and/or salt, black pepper, or lemon juice if needed.
for the croutons
Preheat the oven to 375ºF.
Toss the bread cubes with the garlic oil, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper to taste.
*If you don’t have garlic oil, add extra garlic powder to the breadcrumbs. Avoid adding raw minced garlic as it’ll likely burn before the croutons are toasted.
Transfer to a sheet tray and bake until the croutons are slightly golden brown and beginning to crisp but still a little soft on the inside, about 10-12 minutes. When they come out of the oven, they’ll carry over.
to dress & serve
Right before serving, add the romaine to a mixing bowl. Squeeze fresh lemon juice over the lettuce and gently toss to coat.
Add the Caesar dressing (starting with less than you may think to not overdress) and gently toss to evenly coat the romaine. Adjust with additional dressing if needed.
Add the Parmesan cheese, croutons, and a crack of black pepper. Give it one more gentle toss before serving. Garnish with more anchovy if desired.
*Leftover dressing can be stored in a sealed container for up to 1 week.
Lobster Bisque
serves 4-6
This recipe is a bit labor intensive, but while each step is worth it to get a flavorful stock, none of them are difficult.
Traditionally, rice is added at the end to give the bisque a thicker consistency, but I find it can be a little too thick and quickly forms a skin when plated. Carrot helps add a little body while keeping a luxurious, silky texture. You can also blend some of the lobster shells from the stock into the bisque for a natural thickener- just be sure to pass it through a chinois multiple times.
Because lobster bisque is rich, it’s more than okay to serve a small bowl or teacup, especially if you’re serving multiple courses for dinner.
At PDC, we like to serve Manzanilla Sherry in small cordials with the bisque.
Shopping List —
for the lobster stock
4 whole live chick lobsters (1-2 lbs each) or skip the breakdown and see if your local fishmonger carries lobster bodies
2-3 carrots, peeled and rough diced
4-5 Roma tomatoes, sliced into quarters
1/2 small clamshell tarragon (1/3 oz)
for the bisque
3 tbsp butter
1 medium carrot, peeled and diced
1 leek, white parts only, sliced and rinsed
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp tomato paste
1/2 cup brandy or cognac
1 1/2 to 2 quarts reduced lobster stock
2 bay leaves
1/2 small clamshell tarragon (1/3 oz)
1 cup heavy cream
salt to taste
sherry vinegar to taste
small pinch of cayenne
nutmeg
extra cognac for finishing
1-2 oz lobster meat per person
sliced chives, minced tarragon, and/or minced parsley
Equipment —
cutting board
sheet tray
colander
medium pot
ice bath
clean kitchen towel
lobster crackers or scissors
Steps —
for the lobster stock
Set up your mise en place with a sheet tray with a rack, a bowl for the meat, a colander set in the sink to drain the shells, and a cutting board inside a larger sheet tray to catch all the excess water when breaking down the lobster. Any extra liquid caught in the sheet tray can be added to the stock later.
Bring a pot of salted water up a boil, and prepare an ice bath.
Kill the lobsters by using a sharp knife to slice through the head between the eyes, pressing down firmly through the shell.
Twist off the tails from the body then twist off each claw where the knuckles meet the body. Par-cook the tails in the boiling water for 2 1/2 minutes and the claws for 3 minutes. Shock in an ice bath for about 3 minutes or until chilled, then remove.
Lay the tail on its side, cover with a clean kitchen towel, and press down to crack the shell. Remove the tail meat and reserve.
Separate the knuckles from the claws. Remove the smaller pincer. Crack the claw with lobster crackers or use a pair of sharp scissors to carefully cut the shells to expose the meat and remove. Use the crackers to remove the meat from the rest of the knuckles. Reserve all the meat.
Clean the lobster body (the head) by pulling off the shell. Remove the tamalley, trim off the gill with scissors, and discard both.
Rinse the lobster bodies under cold running water in a bowl until the water runs clear. Drain through a colander. Allow the bodies to dry on the sheet tray with a rack, then chop the lobster bodies in half.
Heat a dutch oven over high heat. Add canola oil to cover the bottom and allow to shimmer. Add the lobster bodies and shells and roast until they’re a deep reddish brown, stirring often.
*Open a window if convenient as shellfish stock has a strong aroma.
Cover the lobster bodies with water and the liquid from the sheet tray under the cutting board, about 3-4 quarts.
Bring the stock to a boil and skim off any oil that rises to the top.
Lower the heat to a simmer. Add the tomatoes, diced carrots, and half of the tarragon. Simmer for at least 2 hours or until the broth is very flavorful.
Strain the lobster stock through a china cap into a clean bowl, pressing on the lobster mixture to get all the juices out.
Strain through a fine-meshed sieve or chinois three times, rinsing the chinois after each time.
Add the stock to a clean sauce pan over medium high heat. Reduce by about half (about 1 1/2 to 2 quarts) skimming away any oil or foam that rises.
for the bisque
In a clean dutch oven over medium heat, add the butter to melt. Add the carrots and leeks to sweat. When the leeks are softened, add the garlic and cook until aromatic.
Add the tomato paste and pincé (caramelizing to draw out the natural sweetness), stirring often.
Deglaze the pan with the brandy and stir. Allow the alcohol to cook off, reducing to almost au sec.
Add the lobster stock, bay leaf, and tarragon (reserving some tarragon for garnish). Bring to a simmer. Simmer on low until the carrots are fully cooked and soft, about 25-30 minutes. It’s okay if the lobster stock reduces slightly.
Add the cream and bring back up to a simmer for about 5 minutes.
Remove the bay leaves and tarragon.
Blend the bisque in batches until smooth, only filling the blender halfway each time. For an extra silky consistency, pass each batch through a chinois or fine-meshed strainer. Adjust the seasoning with salt, sherry vinegar, a small pinch of cayenne, and a few rasps of nutmeg.
*If making ahead, chill the bisque down. Cover the bisque with plastic wrap directly on the surface so it doesn’t form a skin. Store in the refrigerator.
to finish the bisque
Bring the bisque up to a simmer. If needed, adjust the consistency with water. Taste and adjust the seasoning and finish with a small splash of raw cognac.
Right before serving: slice the lobster meat into bite-size pieces. Heat a saute pan or skillet over medium-high heat and add a few tablespoons of butter. Once the butter foams, add the lobster meat, tossing often, until just cooked, about 1-2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, sliced chives, and minced tarragon.
Plate the bisque in bowls. Using a slotted spoon, garnish with the lobster meat. Crack black pepper over top and serve.
