Lobster Bisque

Put 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large, deep pot over medium heat. When it melts, add the onion, garlic, carrot, bay leaf, and thyme and cook, stirring, until the onion softens, 5 to 10 minutes.

Add the whole lobsters and, if they are uncooked, cook, stirring, until they turn red, about 10 minutes; if they're already cooked, cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes.

Add the wine and tomato and raise the heat to medium-high. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat to low, cover, and cook for 10 minutes.

Add the stock, raise the heat to high, and bring back to a boil. Once again, turn the heat to low and cover; cook for 20 minutes. Remove the lobsters and shells, crack them if necessary, and pick off any meat you find. Return the bits of meat to the soup (reserve any large pieces of meat you may have for the final addition).

Pass the soup through a food mill or puree it in a blender. (At this point, you may refrigerate the soup, covered, for up to 2 days; reheat before proceeding.) Return the soup to the pot and bring to a boil, then lower the heat so it bubbles gently. Add the remaining butter, in bits, until it melts. Add the cream and any bits of lobster meat and heat through. Season with salt and pepper, garnish with parsley, and serve.