Creamy, silky lobster bisque makes a superlative New Year’s Eve dish. It is not over the top yet still feels extravagant.

I learned to make this in the French way from my mentor-chef. The lobster shells were used for the broth, and the meat was saved for another dish. Cooked rice or beurre manie (uncooked butter and flour) thickened the soup, and everything was blasted in a blender and then strained. It made a rich soup, but not a meal.

I have streamlined the process and avoided the blender, since you would need a pretty powerful one to grind the shells. The lobster meat is added to the soup at the end, making this a more-substantial dish for four, or a starter for six people. Steam the lobster in one inch of water and save the water for making the broth. If cooking your own live lobster makes you nervous, most lobster places will sell you whole cooked ones in the shell. You will then have to supply some fish stock, clam juice, or chicken stock to bolster the broth.

Once the lobster is cooked, remove the meat and break up the shells and body. Sautee them with a few vegetables to add extra flavor. Simmer everything in the lobster cooking water and wine, and strain. Beurre manie gives the soup some body and richness without making it too thick. Add cream, sherry, and the lobster meat and your festive supper is ready. Sally Pasley Vargas

Lobster bisque

Serves 4

5 to 6 cups water

1 rounded teaspoon salt

1 (1¾-2 pounds) live lobster

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion, sliced

1 small carrot, sliced

1 stalk celery, sliced

2 thyme sprigs

1 clove garlic, sliced

2 tablespoons tomato paste

Pinch of cayenne pepper

1 bay leaf

1 cup dry white wine

¼ cup cream sherry

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

3 tablespoons flour

1 cup heavy cream

1. In an 8- to 10-quart pot over high heat, bring the water to a boil. The depth should be about 1 inch; add more if needed. Add the salt and the lobster, head first, and cover the pot. Adjust the heat to gentle boil and steam for 15 to 18 minutes, or until the shell is bright red and an antenna is easily released when you pull on it. With tongs, remove the lobster and set it on a rimmed baking sheet to cool. Reserve the cooking liquid.

2. When the lobster is cool, hold it over a bowl or a rimmed baking sheet to catch the juices, and remove the meat from the claws and tail. Coarsely chop the meat and refrigerate it until ready to use. Using kitchen shears, cut the shells and body into 2-inch pieces.

3. In a soup pot over medium heat, heat the oil. Add the lobster shells and body and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes. Stir in the onion, carrot, celery, thyme sprigs, and garlic. Cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste, cayenne pepper, and bay leaf, and cook for 2 minutes longer. Add 4 cups of the lobster cooking water, lobster juices, and the wine. Bring to a simmer and cook, covered, for 45 minutes.

4. Set a colander over a clean pot and strain the broth into the pot. Discard the shells. Set the pot over medium heat. Add the sherry and bring to a simmer.

5. In a small bowl, stir the butter and flour together until smooth. Whisk it into the simmering broth and gently simmer for 10 minutes. Add the cream and bring to a simmer. Stir in the lobster meat, and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, or until the bisque is hot. Ladle into bowls and serve. Sally Pasley Vargas

Sally Pasley Vargas can be reached at sally.p.vargas@gmail.com.