I had never really thought about making a lobster dish…for obvious reasons. Beyond the fact that lobster is way out of my usual budget, hardshell lobster (the very best kind) comes from Maine, over 3,000 miles away, and the idea of eating a lobster that has been sitting on a refrigerated truck for a week is less-than-appealing to me.
Then, yesterday, I got in touch with Jim and John Sullivan, the Boston-based brothers and co-owners of OvernightLobster.com. I pretty much fell in love with them when they signed their initial email to me “Lobsterly Yours,” but my affection grew as I realized that they were able to ship me live hardshell lobsters from Maine, overnight, as the name suggests, at an absurdly low price. And so, the BrokeAss lobster dream was made reality.
Because lobsters are so special, I’m doing everything I can to stretch their deliciousness out as much as possible and so I used only the body and claws for this soup, which serves 4 (I’m saving the tail for tomorrow). The secret to this, I found, is in making a stock. After killing my lobsters, I made a large batch of very flavorful stock using their shells, garlic, salt, pepper and the seaweed they came packed in. This stock will find its way into dishes throughout the next few days as i experiment with the remaining lobster, and would make a great base for a seafood stew, a liquid for risotto or even the base of a dumpling soup. Parsnips and carrots give the soup body without distracting from the delicate lobster’s flavor. Real butter and cream are essential.
Ingredients
- claws and body of a 2-lb lobster $12 ($18 for the whole lobster)
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil Pantry
- 4 cloves garlic, smashed Pantry
- salt and pepper to taste Pantry
- 3 tbsp butter $1 for a stick
- 2 shallots, chopped $0.50
- 2 carrots, peeled and chopped $0.50
- 3 parsnips, peeled and chopped $1
- 2 tbsp tomato paste $1 for a 4-oz. can
- 1 tbsp all-purpose flour Pantry
- 1/2 pint heavy cream $1.50
Recipe Serves 4
Directions
- If you haven't already killed your lobster, go here for help doing it humanely. Once the lobster has been killed, boil the lobster, covered, in a large pot of boiling water for 5 minutes.
- While the lobster cooks, fill the sink with cold water. Use tongs to remove the cooked lobster from the pot and transfer to the cold water. Let sit for 30 seconds or until it cools down.
- Use a sharp knife to chop the tail off. Wrap it up and save it for another recipe (coming tomorrow). Use a nutcracker or lobster/crab cracker to crack the shells of the body. Remove the head sac and liver and discard them.
- Carefully separate the lobster meat from the shells. Place the meat in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use.
- Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the smashed garlic and cook for 30 seconds-1 minute or until very fragrant (make sure it does not burn). Add the lobster shells and cover with 12 cups water. If your lobster came packed in seaweed, add a handful of that too. Add 2 tsp. salt and 1 tsp pepper. Stir well and cover. Cook for 30-40 minutes over medium heat or until very fragrant. Strain, taste for seasoning and add more salt and/or pepper if necessary. Set aside.
- Heat the butter in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the carrots and parsnips and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 minutes. Add the lobster meat and 6 cups of the stock. Stir well and cover. Once stock comes to a light boil, add the flour and whisk well to keep lumps from forming. Cook until carrots and parsnips are very soft, about 15 minutes. Add the tomato paste and whisk well.
- Add the cream slowly, whisking throughout. Let cook for 5-6 minutes. The liquid should be very creamy at this point.
- Puree soup until very, very smooth. Serve immediately.
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What They're Saying
Kristen, on Nov 4, 09:05 PM, wrote:
Oh my goodness!! This looks wonderful!! We’ve got guys who regularly sell fresh lobster and shrimp from the keys right out of their trucks here in Miami and I’ve always wondered what I’d do with the lobster if I got it. I’m really not a lobster fan, but I’d gladly give it a shot in this delicious recipe!
PS
We, at Yelp Miami, love your recipes!!
TheGrillingGuy, on Nov 5, 08:15 AM, wrote:
What a great looking recipe. I’ll have to prepare this with some Pleasoning seasoning for the family tonight. It looks absolutely delicious!
John Sullivan, on Dec 13, 09:58 AM, wrote:
Great review, Gabi! We try harder than anyone else in the lobster business! BTW, lobster from the keys is “spiny” or “rock” lobster and isn’t the same as Maine Lobster. These are also known as warm water lobsters (say from Florida, Australia, etc.) and they are a different species that don’t have claws and the taste is different. We can get you top quality hardshell Maine lobster in a brokeass way anywhere in the US, Canada, and Mexico! :-)
Cyrus, on Jan 1, 03:06 PM, wrote:
Just made this tonight with shells and body meat from a few Maine lobsters. Absolutely delicious. I embellished it a bit: added half a cup of dry white wine and also garnished with fresh tarragon.
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rushessay.com reviews, on Sep 23, 07:20 PM, wrote:
Yum! This dish sounds so amazing! I love to have healthy food which I prefer to prepare myself. I think fresh lobsters are a very good option for dinner. It will be something new for my kids. Thanks for sharing the recipe; I will make it on this Sunday night.
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