Hello, June! It’s so nice to see you again! I thought I’d kick off the first month of the Summer season this year with a recipe I was inspired to try out after the wonderful Mother’s Day brunch I had treated my mom to a couple of weeks ago. If you remember, we had enjoyed famous “Bisque Bombs” in Connecticut for the occasion – which included a side of fries that were partially smothered in warm, buttery lobster bisque. It got me thinking that lobster bisque would make for an unconventional but still delicious ingredient when preparing poutine – and so I got to work trying out a couple of different versions of this recipe just for fun.
I think the recipe below is my favorite way of making it, though.
The ingredients in this appetizer are similar to the lobster bisque linguine I had prepared for a Valentine’s Day dish back in February, with a couple of alterations, of course – but it’s super easy to put together and even easier to share with friends!
WHAT YOU’LL NEED:
2-3 SERVINGS:
- 1 bag of frozen French Fries (the style of your choosing)
- One 16-ounce container of Trader Joe’s Lobster Bisque
- 10-12 cooked and peeled shrimp (or scallops!), thawed.
- 1½ cup grated or shredded Gruyère cheese
- Salt, Pepper and Old Bay Seasoning, to taste
WHAT YOU’LL DO:
1. After pre-heating your oven to the appropriate temperature and using a non-stick cooking spray on a baking sheet, cook your fries according to the instructions on the bag/box.
2. While the fries are cooking, empty the container of lobster bisque into a skillet and bring to medium heat, stirring occasionally to make sure the bisque is evenly heated through. Gradually add in the cheese and continue stirring to thicken the bisque. This mixture will be poured on top of the fries, and you’ll want it thicker so it doesn’t just pool at the bottom of the plate and make the fries soggy. ** You can also add a little corn starch if the mixture isn’t as thick as you prefer! **
3. Once the cheese is melted through and the bisque is hot, add in the thawed shrimp/scallops to the skillet and stir to coat them in the sauce. Reduce the heat to a low simmer and cover the skillet if your fries need more time to finish cooking.
4. Remove the fries from the oven and let cool for approximately 5 minutes. Scoop the fries onto your serving platter/plates and pour the bisque/cheese mixture over them. **Some of the bisque will seep down to the plate but don’t worry – it shouldn’t make the fries any less crispy and it’s perfect to dunk them in!**
5. Top with a sprinkle of salt, pepper, and Old Bay – and enjoy!
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For this recipe, you can use any kind of cheese you want in the bisque mixture – but I’ve found over the years that Gruyère is the one that pairs best with seafood (at least in my opinion!)
I’m so excited to both try and share a bunch of seasonal, Summertime recipes I’ve been bookmarking in recent weeks since this is such a great time of year for all things seafood, lemon and s’mores-related – and I already know what cookout-ready recipe I’ll be posting in a couple of weeks since I’m whipping up another batch of it soon!
Enjoy your Monday – and the beginning of this beautiful month, everyone!
xo
Coffee & Chiffon 