Last week, Ivy Mellow from Ivy's Simply Homemade in Waterford provided "What to Cook" with an addictive recipe for Apple Crisp. It's an ideal winter dessert or, really, at any time. Now, as a sort of yin to the yang, here's how to make Ivy's Lobster Bisque, which works as a meal unto itself or as a fine starter for a holiday feast.

So here's my go-to quick and delicious shortcut. This recipe is great to be made ahead of time, just reheat really slow and low. Personally I'll put it in the crockpot and stir every half hour or so.

IVY'S LOBSTER BISQUE (serves 4-6)

Ingredients

2 tbs Better Than Bouillon Lobster Base

1 quart of heavy cream

2 cups water

2 cups chardonnay

1/3 cup of flour

1 stick of butter

4 tbs tomato paste

1/4 tsp paprika

1 1/2 lb lobster, steamed by grocer (more if you'd like!) or purchase 1/2 lb lobster meat

Pick lobster meat, remove tail meat, knuckles and claws. There's even meat in the legs you can get out by removing from the body and then using a rolling pin to squeeze towards the unattached end. (Or just eat some of it yourself; after all, YOU'RE doing the hard work!) If plating up, Ivy cuts the meat into larger pieces and places on top of each bowl. If serving buffet style, cut smaller.

Directions

Make roux: Melt butter, then whisk in flour and heat on low until lightly browned, set aside.

In soup pot, boil 2 cups of water, stir in Lobster Base. Once mixed, add heavy cream, chardonnay, tomato paste and paprika. Reduce to a slow simmer and stir in roux until it's a consistency you like.

Ladle into individual bowls and top each with even amounts of meat, or the whole amount into a serving bowl, folding in the meat, sprinkling a little on the top.