Lobster & Corn Chowder
Submitted by Sarah1
Lobster and corn chowder with shell-infused half-and-half, fresh corn, and tender potatoes. A New England-style chowder that extracts maximum flavor from the whole lobster.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
30 minCOOK
25 minREADY
55 minThis chowder squeezes every bit of flavor from a whole lobster. After boiling, the shells and carcass go into a quart of half-and-half to steep, creating a lobster-infused cream that forms the base of the entire soup. That step alone makes this chowder taste like something from a coastal seafood shack.
Fresh corn kernels cut from the cob and diced potatoes get sautéed in butter with minced onion until the onion goes translucent. The strained lobster cream pours over the top and everything simmers until the potatoes are just tender.
The lobster meat goes in last and only simmers long enough to heat through. Overcooking lobster turns it rubbery, and after all the work of building that shell-infused broth, you want the meat to stay sweet and tender.
Pro Tips
- Save every bit of shell and carcass for the cream. That’s where the deepest lobster flavor lives
- Simmer the shells in cream for just 4 minutes. Longer and the cream can pick up bitter flavors
- Cut the potatoes to ½-inch pieces so they cook in the same time as the corn
- A pinch of cayenne adds warmth without any real heat. Don’t skip it
Variations
- Use fresh crab or large shrimp instead of lobster for a different shellfish chowder
- Stir in a splash of dry sherry just before serving
- Top each bowl with crumbled bacon and fresh chives
Ingredients
Directions
PREPARATION: Bring 4 quarts of water to boil in a 6- to 8-quart soup kettle.
Add lobster, cover and boil for about 10 minutes.
Remove and reserve the shells and carcass for stock.
Cut lobster meat into 2-inch pieces (can wrap and refrigerate meat and shell overnight).
Peel and cut potatoes into ½-inch pieces.
Mince the onion (1 cup).
Remove the corn kernels from the cobs (or drain and set aside thawed corn).
COOKING AND SERVING: Put the reserved lobster shells and carcass in a large saucepan with the half-and-half.
Bring to a boil, lower heat, and simmer 4 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
Melt the butter in a soup kettle. Add the potatoes, onion and corn kernels and sauté over medium-low heat until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes.
Strain the lobster cream over the vegetables, bring to a simmer, and then simmer slowly until the potatoes are tender, 6 to 8 minutes.
Stir in the lobster meat, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper.
Simmer just until the lobster meat is hot, about 5 minutes.
Ladle into warm bowls and serve with corn chips.
Makes 4 servings.
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