New Year's Eve Seafood Bisque

Directions

Clean meat from lobster shells, separating into two batches: tear tail and larger body meat pieces into roughly 2 inch chunks, place in bowl with claw meat (left intact) and set aside. Finely dice smaller meat pieces from body, legs, tail fins etc.; place into 2nd bowl and set aside.

Clean meat from crab legs; tear larger pieces into 2'-3' chunks. Leave claw pieces intact. Place larger crab pieces and claw meat in bowl, set aside. Coarsely dice smaller crab pieces from leg/claw tips, joints, etc., and add to bowl with diced lobster.

Prepare scallops and shrimp as indicated; put aside in separate bowls.

Add ¼ cup oil to bottom of large stew/soup pot, heat over medium-high flame until water sprinkled into oil bubbles. Add scallops and cook, turning often, until just beginning to brown. Remove scallops, drain, and set aside.

Add more oil if necessary, reheating. Add shrimp once oil is heated, and cook until they start to curl. Remove shrimp, drain, and set aside.

Add another ¼ cup oil to pot and reheat. Once hot, add ¼ cup Italian herb seasoning, 2 tablespoons white wine worcestershire sauce, half cup white wine, red onion, and celery. Cook, stirring frequently, until celery is soft. Add diced lobster/crab mix, and cook throughly.

Mix heavy cream and half & half in microwave-safe bowl; heat in microwave at high power for one minute, Remove, stir, and reheat another minute, or until bubbling. Remove from microwave and add to pot; reduce heat to medium or simmer (do not let boil) and cook until reduced by half (15-20 minutes).

Add butter, shredded carrots, scallops and remainder of Italian herb seasoning; continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until scallops are heated through, and butter is fully melted.

Stir in lobster, shrimp and crab, and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until all meat is heated through. Serve.

Serving suggestions: serve in large soup mugs, with bread, biscuits, or oyster crackers. Or turn into seafood casserole by ladling bisque into individual ramekins, topping with optional cheese/cracker topping, and broiling until cheese melts/browns (or use kitchen torch).