Lager Lobstah Chowdah
SERVES 4
- 1 live lobster (about 1 ¼ lb), boiled and meat removed (see pages 17–23), shells and 10 cups cooking liquid reserved
- 3 stalks celery, roughly chopped
- 2 carrots, roughly chopped
- 1 large white onion, peeled and diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
- 6 black peppercorns
- 1 bay leaf
- 6 ears fresh corn
- 1 bottle (355 ml) lager
- 1 ½ lb (about 6–8 medium) red potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes
- 3 cups half-and-half cream
- 1 Tbsp cayenne pepper
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 bunch chives, finely chopped
1. Roughly chop the lobster meat and place it in a bowl. Set aside.
2. In the same stockpot you used to cook the lobster, heat the reserved cooking liquid, uncovered, over high heat. Add the lobster shells and bring to a boil. Add the celery, carrots, onion, garlic, parsley, peppercorns, and bay leaf. Turn down the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, for 1 ½ hours, until the soup is creamy and thick.
3. Using a sharp knife, scrape the kernels off each corn cob into a bowl and set aside.
4. Strain the lobster broth through a fine mesh sieve into a clean, smaller saucepan. Add the lager and cook, uncovered, over medium- high heat for 10 minutes, or until the broth starts to thicken. Add the potatoes and corn kernels. Turn down the heat to medium and simmer, uncovered, for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. Stir in the cream and add the cayenne pepper. Return to a simmer for 10 minutes. Add the lobster meat and continue to simmer, uncovered, for an additional 2 to 4 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
5. Ladle the chowder into bowls and top with chopped chives.
Note: Consider using homemade croutons to garnish the soup. Cut your favorite bread into 1-inch cubes, place them directly on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, and season with kosher salt, freshly ground pepper, and dried oregano. Bake at 375˚F for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown.
