Lobster bisque thickened with rice

Freeze the lobsters half an hour, then cut through the head between the eyes and down the back through the tail to halve them.

Pull the stomach sac out of the head with tongs, saving anything that falls out.

Break the lobsters up: pull off the claws, cut off the tails, cut the legs, and crack the claws and knuckles under a towel with the back of a knife, a rolling pin or a meat pounder.

Roast the cut lobster in a roasting pan with the celery and onion in a hot 400 degree oven 15 to 20 minutes, until the shells turn rusty red.

Transfer everything except the four tail halves to a large stock pot of at least six quarts.

Deglaze the roasting pan with a splash of water over medium high heat two or three minutes and pour that into the pot, then add cold water to make three quarts total.

Add the garlic cloves, thyme sprigs and bay leaf and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.

Pull the meat from the tails, wrap it and refrigerate it, and put the tail shells into the stock.

As soon as it boils drop the heat to low and simmer gently 40 minutes, no longer, because the flavour deteriorates past that.

Strain the solids into a colander set over a bowl and pour every drop of juice back into the pot; pick all the meat out of the claws and knuckles when it is cool enough to handle and refrigerate it with the tail meat.

Add the crushed tomatoes, the tomato paste and the paprika, stir and bring up to a simmer over medium-high heat.

Add the long grain rice, turn the heat to medium and simmer about 30 minutes until the rice is completely soft and smashes against the side of the pot.

Turn off the heat and blend completely smooth with an immersion blender.

Stir in the brandy, the heavy cream, the Worcestershire sauce and the cayenne.

Simmer gently about 10 to 15 minutes over medium to cook out the raw alcohol, stirring with a spatula so the thick soup does not scorch on the bottom.

Chop the reserved lobster meat as fine or as chunky as wanted, add it, reduce the heat to low and heat it through.

Taste for cayenne and salt, ladle out, and garnish with a few drops of whipped cream swirled in and freshly chopped tarragon.