Lobster and Corn Chowder

By Mother

Ingredients

• salt
• 2 2lb live lobsters
• 1 celery stalk, coarsely chopped
• 1 medium carrot
• 1 sprig fresh parsley
• 1 bay leaf
• 5 black peppercorns
• 1/4 lb salt pork diced
• 3 medium onions peeled and diced
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 1 1/2 lbs. red potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2" cubes
• 4 cups fresh corn kernels (cut from about 6 ears)
• 3 cups half and half
• cayenne

Details

Servings 8

Preparation

Step 1

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium high heat. Add lobster and cook for about 8 - 10 minutes. Remove lobsters, then strain cooking liquid into a large bowl or another pot. Rinse lobsters in cold water, then remove meat from shells, reserving shells but discarding tomalley and coral. Cut meat into small pieces and set aside. Return shells and 10 cups reseerved cooking liquid to pot.
Add celery carrots parsley bay leaf and peppercorns to cooking liquid. Cover and simmer over low heat for 1 1/2 hours. Strain stock through a fine sieve, then return stock to same pot, discarding shells and remaining solids. Cook over medium heat until reduced to 6 cups about 10 min.
Cook salt pork in a medium pan over medium low heat stirring occasionally until crisp about 20 minutes. Remove salt pork, drain on paper towels, and set aside to use for garnish. In the same pan, add onions and garlic to the rendered fat and cook over low heat until soft, about 20 minutes.
Add onion mixture potatoes and corn to reduced stock then increase heat to medium and simmer until potatoes are tender about 10 minutes. Stir in half and half and a dash of cayenne and return to a simmer. Add lobster meat and simmer (do not boil) until heated through 3-5 minutes. Season to taste. Ladle into bowls and top with reserved salt pork.