Corn Chowder Recipe a Fall Favorite
Along comes Fall in late September in New England and the tree leaves along the lobster coast are turning into an ocean of color. The days are shorter, evenings cooler and once again it’s time for a hot bowl of homemade Boston Lobster and Corn Chowder. Made with Fresh Maine lobster and freshly harvested corn on the cob, this seasonal chowder makes a great meal for the Fall.
Try This Homemade Boston Lobster Corn Chowder Recipe
The Boston Lobster and Corn Chowder recipe* includes cooking a lobster stock so it will take about two hours to prepare. The recipe will provide 4 to 6 bowls or more of chowder. While the recipe is a favorite for the Fall when fresh corn is available, it can be made year round with seasonal corn or fresh frozen kernels.
Boston Lobster and Corn Chowder
Boston Lobster Corn Chowder Cooking Directions
Use a 10-quart stock pot filled two thirds with sea water or fresh water heavily salted, bring water to roiling boil and add the live lobster one at a time. You only want to blanche the lobster by cooking four to six minutes. Remove the lobster and set aside to cool.
Crack the shells with a large chef knife and pick all the meat from the tails, claws, legs and bodies. Remove the intestinal track from the cartilage and tail. Dice the meat into ¾ inch cubes, cover and refrigerate. The bodies and left over shells will be used in the lobster stock. The stock will take more than an hour to prepare so that must be the next step (see Lobster Stock Directions below).
Take Your Time Making Lobster Stock
While the lobster stock is simmering, husk the corn and rub with a dry towel to remove all the silk. Carve the kernels from the cob and set aside. Break the cobs in half and add to the simmering lobster stock.
When the stock is ready, using a six-quart pot, heat the bacon until golden brown and pour off all but one tablespoon of bacon grease. Add butter, thyme and onion and sauté until onions are soft. Add paprika and stir about two minutes.
Add the potatoes, corn kernels and enough lobster stock to completely cover the potatoes. Increase heat and bring pot to a boil. Cover and cook for 12 minutes until the potatoes are just softened on the outside.
Add Plenty of Maine Lobster Meat
Add the lobster meat and the cream and remove the pot from the heat. Season with salt and pepper. Allow to stand a few minutes for flavors to meld.
To serve, spoon the lobster, potatoes and corn into a large bowl and then ladle in the creamy broth. Garnish with chives and chopped parsley.
Use a six or eight-quart stock pot. Add the lobster carcasses, shells and tomalley to the pot. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Skim any scum from the surface. Reduce heat to a fast simmer. Add the wine, tomatoes, onions, celery, carrots, garlic, thyme, bay leaves, peppercorns and fennel seeds. Let simmer for an hour or more until the flavor is rich. Strain the stock though a fine mesh and draw off enough to add to the chowder as required. Any extra stock may be frozen and kept up to two months.
Boston Lobster Corn Chowder Ingredients
- 3 1 ¼ pound live lobsters, hard-shell
- 3 large ears freshly harvested yellow corn
- 4 ounces unsliced bacon with rind removed and diced
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 large onion diced
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme with leaves removed and chopped
- 1 ½ pounds potatoes, peeled and diced
- 1 ½ to 2 cups heavy cream
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons fresh chives minced
Lobster Stock Ingredients
- lobster carcasses and shells
- 2 quarts water
- 1 cup white wine
- 2 medium onions, thinly sliced
- 2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
- 1 cup tomatoes (fresh or canned)
- 2 small carrots, thinly sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, crushed
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 dried bay leaves
- 1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
- Sea salt
* Traditional Lobster and Corn Chowder recipe made famous by Boston chef Jasper White.
© Wayne Howe 2018
