Ingredients:
2 1 1/4 Lb. lobsters, steamed, meat removed and set aside
4 ears fresh summer corn, kernels removed and cobs reserved
2 quarts lobster stock (recipe on the blog)
4 slices bacon
6 medium red potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 medium onion, chopped
1 small shallot, chopped
1 clove garlic
1 cup finely chopped celery
1/2 cup finely chopped carrots
1/2 of each red and green pepper, chopped
¼ cup sherry ( I used Harvey's Bristol Cream)
2 tbsp. corn starch, ad 2 tbsp water to make a slurry
Fresh chopped parsley
Fresh thyme sprigs
½ tsp cayenne pepper, or to taste
1/2 tsp paprika
1 cup milk
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
Remove lobster meat from shells, and set aside. Shuck fresh corn, and set corn
aside.
In separate pot, sauté bacon until crisp. Chop, and set aside. Sauté onions, shallot, celery, carrots, and
peppers in the bacon fat. When tender, add the corn kernels and potatoes, garlic and stir to incorporate. Add
the sherry and sauté’ for 2 minutes. Add
the lobster stock, thyme, paprika, and cayenne, salt and pepper, tasting as you
go. I like to add the corn cobs to the soup at this point so the milk in the corn cobs seeps in for extra flavor. Simmer on low for 1 hour so the flavor
can develop.
Add milk. At this point, add your corn starch slurry and simmer to thicken slightly. Be sure to remove the corn cobs and thyme
sticks. Add the reserved lobster meat (saving some for garnish) and fresh parsley just before serving. Be sure to taste for salt and pepper.
Serve with a nice fresh salad, and toasted ciabatta
bread.
Although you can forego the fresh corn cobs, and
just add frozen corn, there is no substitute for the taste of the fresh
corn. I buy corn from the farmer’s
market in the summer, and freeze the cobs and shucked corn separately in case
we have an attack and desperately need “Litty’s Lobster Corn Chowder” in the
dead of winter. Otherwise, make it in
the summer for sure!