Icelandic Lobster Soup

This recipe is a delicious Icelandic specialty. It is served by families during the winter holidays and is a restaurant specialty in coastal towns around the island. After a vacation to Iceland, I searched fervently for the recipe, and through research with trial and error, came up with this very authentic version. The soup is best enjoyed with slices of baguette.

• Preparation Time: 30 mins
• Cooking Time: 2 hr
• Total Time: 2 hr 30 mins
• Calories: 276 Calories

Ingredients

• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 4 carrots, coarsely chopped
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• ¼ cup tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons curry powder
• 2 tablespoons dried tarragon
• 3 ½ quarts water
• 2 teaspoons ground cayenne pepper
• 2 tablespoons ground paprika
• 2 large onions, coarsely chopped
• 10 tablespoons butter, divided
• 1 red bell pepper, coarsely chopped
• 5 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
• 2 pounds lobster tails - shelled, meat coarsely chopped, and shells reserved
• 8 button mushrooms, chopped
• 1 Red Delicious apple, coarsely chopped

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Melt 6 tablespoons butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions, garlic, and salt; cook and stir until onions soften, about 5 minutes. Add lobster shells, mushrooms, apple, red bell pepper, carrots, and tomato paste. Cook and stir until vegetables soften, about 7 minutes. Add water, paprika, curry, tarragon, chili powder, and cayenne pepper. Simmer soup over medium-low heat, uncovered, stirring occasionally, about 2 hours.

Step 2

Remove soup from heat; strain liquid through a mesh colander into a bowl to yield about 2 quarts. Discard lobster shells and vegetables. Rinse the pot.

Step 3

Melt remaining 4 tablespoons butter in the pot over medium heat. Add flour; mix vigorously into a thick roux, scraping the bottom of the pot, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the strained liquid, 2 cups at a time, mixing well until entirely smooth, about 5 minutes. Stir in heavy cream, maintaining a low simmer. Divide lobster meat evenly into serving bowls; ladle hot soup generously on top.