Award-Winning Lobster Bisque

In the May 10 edition of the Georgia Bulletin, we featured in the Notable column, the first cook-off by the Southside Ultreya first Men’s Cook-off. 

Thom Miller won first place for his lobster bisque. He kindly shared the recipe. So, if you want to try your hand at it, below is the how-to for the award-winning dish.  

--Andrew

Thom’s Lobster Bisque

½ lb. onion, finely diced	½ lb. leek, finely diced
¼ lb. celery, finely diced	2 ½ lbs. lobster carcasses, rough chopped
1 cup tomato paste	1 lb. butter
12 oz. all purpose flour	2 tsp. paprika
2 qt, light cream, scalded	4 oz. Sherry wine
2 oz. Brandy	to taste;  salt, white pepper, Knorr’s vegetable bouillon cubes, Old Bay Seasoning, and Lowrey’s seasoned salt

Preparation

Bring large pot of water to boil.  Add lobsters head first and boil until cooked through, about 8 minutes.  Using tongs, transfer lobsters to large bowl.  Reserve two cups cooking liquid.  Cool lobsters.

Working over large bowl to catch juices, cut off lobster tails and claws.  Crack tail and claw shells and remove lobster meat.  Closely chop lobster meat: cover and chill in fridge.  Coarsely chop lobster shells and bodies: transfer to medium bowl.  Reserve the juices from lobsters in a large bowl.

In a large sauce pan, melt the butter and sauté the onions, leeks & celery until translucent.  Add the chopped lobster pieces and cook until they turn completely red in color, about 8 minutes.  Add the paste and cook for about five minutes, stirring often.  Add the paprika and the flour and stir until smooth.  Cook for five more minutes.  Add one gallon of water, reserved 2 cups lobster cooking liquid and lobster juices and bring to a boil stirring often until smooth.  Reduce heat to simmer and cook for 45 minutes. 

Strain the bisque in a large strainer, crushing the shells to extract their flavor.  Finish the bisque with the scalded cream, the Sherry and Brandy.  Adjust the flavor to taste with blend of items noted.  Do not re-boil once the cream has been added.  You may desire to thicken with 2 tsp. corn starch.  Hold hot at 160 – 180 degrees F.  Serve in warm crocks garnished with the cooked lobster meat.

Key Moments between the Vatican and the Leadership Conference of Women Religious.

Catholic News Service published a timeline of key moments in the relationship between the Vatican and the US women religious, with much of it focused on the Leadership Conference of Women Religious. Instead of a running it as text, I thought a timeline would be interesting. 

Background:

Late in April, a Vatican office came out with a report, saying "serious doctrinal problems" existed with the LCWR organization and put it under the supervision of the archbishop of Seattle.
Read here. And more here.  

Source: Catholic News Service.

Out of a Georgia Bulletin Story, An Adoption

Rewards for working at a newspaper come in various ways.

I wrote last fall about the start of a ministry in the Atlanta Archdiocese called Embrace. It  grew out of the tears and heartache of a couple who struggled with infertility and losing a child still in the womb. Please read the story here.

I crossed paths on Monday, April 30, with Nicole Hartman.  I was leaving work and she walked into the building to organize a workshop for priests to help them better understand the issue and the ministry.

It turns out that from of my story, she and her husband, Peter, were contacted by family member of a young woman looking for a couple to adopt. In December, they were at the hospital as their daughter Olivia Joan was born.

Here's Nicole in her own words:

  Follow up to an Georgia Bulletin Story by GeorgiaBulletin 

Nicole later phoned me and left a tearful message. She wanted the community to know how the birth mom is an "amazing young woman that made a very beautiful choice for her daughter that was loving, of prayer, and of God."

Nicole spoke highly of the woman and her decision. She hopes the story may inspire other young women to make a similar choice. An open adoption is  a "very healthy choice and a loving choice," she said.

--Andrew

Pip Back on TV

Remember the story "The Georgia Bulletin" ran about Pip, the Marietta Catholic, who is competing on The Voice?

He's back on the show Monday, April 23. His fans and family put out the flyer that is posted above to encourage folks to support his efforts.

Father Radcliffe Answers Another Question

RadcliffeQ1 by GeorgiaBulletin

Father Timothy Radcliffe answered another question by a "Georgia Bulletin" twitter follower when he visited Emory University in late March.

Here's the question:

It turns out, Father Radcliffe wasn't familiar with the Muppets, so the "rainbow connection" line meant little to him. But he has another interesting point of view and insights. Listen to his response.

-Andrew

Father Timothy Radcliffe Talks to the Georgia Bulletin

Father Timothy Radcliffe talks to Modern Catholicism students

Father Timothy Radcliffe visited Atlanta's Emory University in late March as a guest of the Candler School of Theology and the Aquinas Center of Theology. I interviewed him before he met with students in the Modern Catholicism class and his public lecture to several hundred people. 

The story and photos will be published in our April 12 edition.

Prior to the interview, I sent a tweet to followers of @georgiabulletin asking if anyone had any questions for the former head of the Dominican order. I received two replies, which I asked Father Radcliffe. I'll post one today and the second later this week.  

As an aside, I recently finished his book, "Why Go To Church?" I found it engaging, thought provoking and insightful. He drew from poets, movies, the Gospels and other material to make his point. He writes that Mass is a three part drama, forming people in faith in the Liturgy of the Word, hope in the Liturgy of the Eucharist and love as we depart church to go into the world. 

--Andrew
Father Radcliffe Question 2 by GeorgiaBulletin

Religious Freedom Rally in Atlanta

Here's a  report about the Stand Up Rally in Atlanta.

Let me apologize for the unclear footage of the second speaker. Something, perhaps the rain, got on the lens and made it blurry.

You'll hear from folks who attended the rally, their motivation for attending and other insights, along with photos in next March 29 edition of the Georgia Bulletin.

-Andrew