New England Lobster Chowder
Clean lobster shells can be boiled to make lobster stock for this recipe, or you can buy lobster base in the gourmet section of your supermarket.
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 8
4 slices bacon, cut into 1 strips
1 small onion, finely diced
1 small green pepper, finely diced
1 small rib celery, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 carrot, finely diced
4 tablespoons butter
⅓ cup flour
8 cups hot lobster stock
4 russet potatoes, peeled and diced
2 cups corn kernels
2 cups cooked lobster, in small chunks
2 cups heavy cream
Salt and pepper to taste
Dash sherry
In a tall soup pot over medium heat, cook bacon until tender. Add onion, bell pepper, celery, garlic, and carrot; sauté with bacon until vegetables are crisp-tender, about 5 minutes.
Add butter; when melted, add flour and stir well. Add hot stock, potatoes, and corn; bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Simmer 20 minutes, until mixture is slightly reduced and potatoes are cooked.
Add lobster meat, heavy cream, salt, and pepper; simmer 10 minutes. Add sherry to individual servings as desired.
Maine Versus Florida Lobsters
New Englanders can rest assured that their indigenous crustaceans have the sweetest meat and fattest claws. But that doesn't mean Florida spiny lobsters — which are really a kind of ocean crawfish — aren't also delicious. Depending on the season, they're also less expensive than Maine lobsters and work very well in seafood soups and stews.
