Author Notes
I live in Maine now and when we have visitors they want one thing and one thing only Lobster...okay sometimes they also want clams and blueberry pies, but mostly its Lobster, my mother calls weekly to check the current price by the pound ( it was $4.29 last week BTW) and bemoan the fact that the Shop Rite in New Jersey sells Canadian lobster for 6.99.
Thrifty former restaurant cook that I am I cannot let things go to waste...and by things I mean edible things, things than can be made more edible with a bit of heat and time, my freezer is quickly filling up with lobster shells, corn that wasn't eaten and clam flavored butter. A few weeks ago I was in the fabulously appointed kitchen of a fellow Food52er who mentioned an article she was writing on chefs who use corn cobs and lobster shells for stock which caused an idea to germinate in my mind...and so here it is The Leftovers.... a Corn and Lobster bisque Drizzled in Lobster Oil.
If you do not live in Maine and so do not have as many lobster bodies on hand you can totally substitute crab bodies or shrimp shells or any combination of the 3, you can also use any leftover juice from steamed clams or mussels. —Aliwaks
Ingredients
- Lobster Corn Bisque
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3
Corn Cobs- cut in 2" pieces
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2
Chopped up Lobster Bodies- outer shells only + the little legs (if no one sucked on them), no innards
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2 tablespoons
Neutral Oil
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1/2 cup
Chopped Fennel
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1/2 cup
Chopped Celery
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2
Chopped Shallots
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1 cup
Chopped Leeks (white & green)
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1/2 cup
Chopped Carrot or Parsnip
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1 sprig
Thyme
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6-8
Black Peppercorns
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1 cup
Dry White Vermouth
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3 cups
Corn Kernels
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2 tablespoons
Butter (even better if leftover from lobster dipping)
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2 cups
Half & Half
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Fresh Herbs: Chervil, Chives, Tarragon
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Cooked Lobster, Crabmeat or Shrimp for Garnish
- Spicy Lobster Oil
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3
Chopped up Lobster Bodies- outer shells only + the little legs (if no one sucked on them), no innards
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2
Dried Chile D'Arbol
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12
Black Peppercorns
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2
Inches lemongrass stalk chopped
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1 tablespoon
fennel seeds
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11/2 cup
Canola Oil
Directions
- Lobster Corn Bisque
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Heat oil in a large heavy bottomed stock pot until it shimmers
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Add Lobster Bodies & Corn, saute until the fragrant
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Add Peppercorns, Thyme & Mire Poix (fennel, leeks, shallots, celery carrots)
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Saute until vegetables become translucent and start to caramelize
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Add vermouth, bring up to high heat, allow vermouth to boil and then be absorbed into the stock- Keep an eye on it..now is not the time to go check your email.
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Once the vermouth has been absorbed, add 8 cups cold water
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Bring to a low boil then reduce to a simmer.
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Simmer for 1 hour.
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Strain and discard the remains. - (You can totally do this way way ahead days, weeks etc)
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Return to Stock pot and Reduce by 1/3 rd (about 25 minutes over high heat)- You should have about 4-1/2 to 5 Cups stock
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Meanwhile heat butter until frothy & bubbly, add corn kernels & saute for a few minutes until they soften
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Add half the corn to the reduced stock & burr with a Hand Blender (alternatively, blend in batches in a blended) until creamy
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Add Half & Half bring up heat again then reduce to simmer once it starts to bubble
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Give in another burr with hand blender if you have one...just to emuslify further
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Season with Salt & Pepper
Add remaining corn, cook another 10 minutes on simmer
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Serve Garnished with Lobstermeat, Fresh Herbs & Healthy Drizzle of Lobster Oil
- Spicy Lobster Oil
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In a large dry deep sauce pan heat lobster bodies, chilies , lemon grass, fennel seeeds & peppercorns until just fragrant
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Chop the Lobster bodies as small as you can, if your food processor can handle it, process the softer shells (the carapace is usually soft enough)
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Pour oil in to pan and lower heat as low as it can go
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Cook over low heat until it simmers and oil turns dark red
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Strain, cool ... keeps for a few days in the fridge and a month or 2 in the freezer This makes more than you will need for this recipes and it is is absolutely amazeballs drizzled on to: pasta, risotto or ramen it's also good drizzled on scrambled eggs, or used to make mayonnaise or vinaigrette for a lobster salad, devilled eggs
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