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1. Melt 4 tablespoons butter over medium heat in a large (at least 2-quart) saucepan or Dutch oven. Add
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the onion and saute until translucent, 8 to 9 minutes.
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2. In another saucepan over medium heat, warm the chicken stock and milk. Add 11/4 teaspoons salt and
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1/2 teaspoon white pepper, and continue heating until the mixture is scalding.
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3. Add the flour to the onion mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until the flour is cooked thoroughly
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but not browned, about 2 minutes. The mixture should be fairly stiff.
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4. Add the scalding stock mixture to the onion mixture. Whisk vigorously to break up any lumps.
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5. Bring the mixture to a boil, and then turn off the heat. (The soup base will have thickened to an
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appropriate consistency after boiling.) Stir in the cream and set the soup base aside.
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6. In a large, heavy skillet, melt the remaining 4 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Season the
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lobster with the remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon white pepper. When the butter's foaming
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subsides, add the lobster meat to the pan. Saute for about 1 minute, making sure the lobster is fully
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coated with butter. (All this happens fairly quickly: Be careful not to overcook the lobster.) Add 1/4 cup
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cognac and saute for 1 minute more. Remove from the heat, drain, and reserve the lobster and the pan
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juices separately.
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7. Return the soup base to medium-low heat and add the remaining 6 tablespoons cognac, the lemon
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juice, garlic, tomato paste, tarragon, and nutmeg. Whisk to combine the ingredients, and then add the
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reserved lobster pan juices. Simmer the bisque, whisking occasionally, until fully heated through.
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8. When you are ready to serve, add the sauteed lobster meat to the bisque and serve immediately. Do
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not let the lobster continue cooking, or it will become rubbery and tasteless.
