Scotian Lobster Chowder
- 3 ounces slab bacon in 1/4-inch dice
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 1/2 pounds (about 5 medium) russet potatoes, peeled, quartered lengthwise, and sliced
- 2 medium leeks, white and light-green parts only, in 1/4-inch dice
- 6 live lobsters, 1 1/4 pounds each
- 8 ounces frozen shoepeg corn kernels
- 2 cups heavy cream
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Place a large heavy stock pot or soup kettle over medium-low heat; add bacon and 1 teaspoon butter.
- Saute until bacon yields its fat and is crisp on edges.
- Add potatoes, leeks and 1 1/4 cups water.
- Cover and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes, then remove from heat.
- In a separate kettle large enough to hold six lobsters, put about 2 inches water.
- Place over high heat to bring to a rapid boil.
- Add lobsters and cover pot.
- Return to a boil and boil for 4 minutes.
- Immediately add cold water to pan to stop cooking, then drain.
- Immerse lobsters in cold water until cool enough to handle.
- Place a fine-meshed sieve over a large bowl, and break lobsters open over sieve, draining out and reserving all body liquids.
- Break claws and tails from bodies, and pull apart body sections.
- Break open carapace and remove any red coral or greenish tomalley, pushing this through sieve using a wooden spoon.
- Add liquid from bowl to potato mixture, and place over low heat to bring to a gentle simmer.
- Extract lobster meat from claws and tails, and cut into chunks.
- Put in a skillet with remaining butter and place over medium-low heat, stirring until meat becomes opaque.
- Scrape meat and butter into chowder pot.
- Cover, and continue to simmer gently for 20 minutes.
- At this point, if desired, chowder may be removed from heat and cooled to room temperature, then covered and refrigerated for up to 8 hours.
- To serve, bring chowder to a simmer.
- Add corn and simmer about 2 minutes.
- In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, simmer cream for 2 to 3 minutes, then add to chowder.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper, and ladle into warm bowls.
- Serve hot.
bacon, unsalted butter, russet potatoes, leeks, live lobsters, corn, heavy cream, salt
Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1797 (may not work)