Lobster Corn Chowder
Lobster Corn Chowder
Ingredients
For the Lobster-Corn Stock
3 cooked lobsters, about 1¼–1½ pounds each
3 ears fresh corn
1 yellow onion, quartered
2 celery stalks, cut into large pieces
¼ cup cream sherry
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
¾ cup dry white wine
5 cups water
For the Chowder
¼ pound bacon, cut into large dice
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 cups Yukon Gold potatoes, unpeeled and diced, about 3 medium potatoes
1½ cups yellow onion, diced
2 cups celery, diced, about 3–4 stalks
1 tablespoon kosher salt, or adjust to taste
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup cream sherry
2 cups heavy cream
1 tablespoon fresh chives, finely chopped, plus extra for garnish
For Serving
Crusty bread, for dipping
Reserved crispy bacon
Additional chopped fresh chives
Instructions
Make the Lobster-Corn Stock
Prepare the Lobster:
Remove all of the meat from the cooked lobsters and cut it into bite-size pieces. Cover and refrigerate the lobster meat until needed.
Place the lobster shells, along with any juices that have collected, into a large stockpot.
Prepare the Corn:
Cut the kernels from the corn cobs and refrigerate the kernels for later.
Add the stripped corn cobs to the stockpot with the lobster shells.
Build the Stock:
Add the quartered onion, celery chunks, cream sherry, sweet paprika, white wine, and 5 cups water to the pot.
Bring the mixture just to a gentle simmer.
Reduce the heat to the lowest setting and cook for about 45 minutes.
Keep the stock at a very gentle simmer and avoid a full boil, which can make the seafood stock taste harsher and cloudier.
Rest and Strain:
Remove the pot from the heat and allow the stock to sit while you begin preparing the chowder.
Strain the stock through a fine-mesh strainer, discarding the lobster shells, corn cobs, and vegetables.
The stock can also be prepared up to 1 day in advance and refrigerated until needed.
Make the Chowder
Cook the Bacon:
Place the diced bacon in a large Dutch oven or heavy soup pot over medium-low heat.
Cook for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is crisp and the fat has rendered.
Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate. Reserve it for garnishing the finished chowder.
Sauté the Vegetables:
Add the butter to the bacon drippings in the pot.
Stir in the diced onion and celery.
Cook for about 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften and the onion becomes translucent.
Add the Potatoes and Corn:
Add the diced Yukon Gold potatoes and reserved fresh corn kernels.
Season with the kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Cook for another 1–2 minutes, stirring to coat the vegetables in the butter and bacon drippings.
Add the Lobster Stock:
Pour the strained lobster-corn stock into the pot.
Bring the soup to a gentle simmer.
Cook for about 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender and can easily be pierced with a fork.
Finish the Creamy Chowder:
Once the potatoes are tender, stir in the heavy cream and cream sherry.
Continue simmering gently for about 5 minutes, allowing the broth to become rich and creamy.
Avoid boiling the chowder aggressively after the cream is added.
Add the Lobster:
Stir in the reserved lobster meat and chopped fresh chives just before serving.
Cook only long enough to warm the lobster through. Avoid prolonged simmering at this stage, which can make the lobster tough and chewy.
Serve:
Ladle the hot Lobster Corn Chowder into serving bowls.
Top each portion with the reserved crispy bacon and additional chopped chives.
Serve immediately with crusty bread on the side for dipping.