Q: Ten or 12 years ago, you published the recipe for Paul Dobson's wonderful mussel bisque. I made it a number of times for special occasions, and it never failed to impress dinner guests. Unfortunately, my recipes are not that well organized, and I no longer can find this special recipe. I'm sure that all your readers would love to have this classic recipe if you can find it in the archives and print it for us. — Caleb Stevens.

A: It is understandable why this recipe would impress your guests. They could not help but to notice the expense of the ingredients. When the recipe was first published Jan. 3, 1991, in the San Diego Union, there was an editor's note saying it cost about $30 to prepare for eight servings. Those were the days!

DOBSON'S MUSSEL BISQUE AND PUFF PASTRY CROWN

Bisque:

1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter (divided use)

2 medium shallots, peeled and minced (about 1/2 cup)

2 lobster tails, removed from shells, meat cut in cubes, shells reserved

4 to 5 cups shrimp shells (preferably uncooked shrimp; ask your fish market to reserve these for you)

1 1/4 cups dry white wine

2 cups fish stock

3 tablespoons tomato paste

1/2 teaspoon thyme

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper

2 pounds mussels, steamed, shucked and chopped

7 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups milk

2 1/4 cups heavy cream or half-and-half

4 tablespoons dry sherry, or to taste

Salt and fresh-ground white pepper

Puff Pastry Crowns:

Puff pastry dough, rolled out 1/4 inch thick, 10-by-20 inches, cut into eight 5-by-5-inch squares, dusted with flour and refrigerated)

1 egg, lightly beaten

2 to 3 teaspoons heavy cream

Yields 8 servings.

Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a 3-quart saucepan. Add shallots and shells from shrimp and lobster. Cook over medium heat until shells turn bright pink, about 10 minutes. Stir occasionally and add a bit more butter if necessary.

After shells change color, add wine, fish stock, tomato paste, thyme, salt and pepper. Simmer, covered, for 15 minutes. Strain stock into bowl. Let any residue settle to bottom of bowl. Discard shells.

Rinse out saucepan and return strained stock, but not residue, to saucepan. Bring this to slow boil. Add lobster meat and simmer gently for two minutes, then remove lobster with slotted spoon to the work bowl of a food processor. Run processor until lobster is ground medium-fine but not pureed. Set stock, chopped mussels and ground lobster aside.

In a clean saucepan, melt remaining butter. Add flour and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, for about 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in milk. When mixture thickens, whisk in heavy cream or half-and-half. When mixture is very thick, after about 3 minutes, whisk in stock. Add mussels and lobster and stir. Add sherry, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle bisque into individual ovenproof bowls.

Lightly score pastry squares with a sharp knife. Lightly beat egg with cream. Brush scored pastry with egg-cream mixture. Brush underside first, then place pastry on bowl. Press sides tightly to seal, then brush pastry top with egg-cream mixture. Repeat with remaining bowls.

Bake in a 400-degree F oven until golden brown, 7 to 10 minutes.

COPYRIGHT 2008 THE SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE.

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