Best Chunky Lobster Stew With Tomalley Croutons Recipes

CHUNKY LOBSTER STEW

Steps:

• 1. Blanch the lobsters for 4 minutes in a large pot of boiling fresh sea water or salted water. Remove from water, punch a little hole in the top of each head and allow to drain. Break off the claws and the tail. Remove the tomalley from the body and set aside in the refrigerator. Shuck the meat, chop into large bite-size pieces and set aside in the refrigerator. Be sure to remove intestinal tracts from the tails.
• 2. Place all the shell and bodies in a large saucepan and barely cover with water (about 2 1/2 quarts). Add the onion and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, skim, and reduce to simmer.
• 3. Peel and seed the tomatoes. Put the seeds and juice into the lobster stock and cut the tomato into medium dice; set aside. Pick the chervil off the stems. Add the stems to the stock and coarsely chop the chervil leaves; set aside.
• 4. After the stock has simmered for about 1 hour, add the heavy cream; simmer about 20 minutes more.
• 5. Simmer the leeks and carrots in butter in a soup pot until they begin to get tender (about 5 minutes). Now add the tomatoes and lobster meat and simmer 2 or 3 minutes more. Strain the creamy lobster stock into the soup pot (you should have about 6 cups of liquid). Season to taste with salt, pepper and cayenne pepper and sprinkle with chervil. Serve with tomalley croutons.

TOMALLEY CROUTONS

Steps:

• 1. Sauté the garlic and onion in 1 tablespoon butter. Let cool somewhat, then mix with the remaining butter and parsley. Whip in the tomalley and season to taste with salt and pepper.
• 2. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Slice the French bread 3/8 inch thick and toast on both sides. Spread each piece with the tomalley-butter mixture. Place on a sheetpan and put in the pre-heated oven or under a broiler until croutons are crispy and hot. Serve immediately.

CHUNKY LOBSTER STEW WITH TOMALLEY CROUTONS

Steps:

• Bring enough water to the boil to cover the lobsters when they are added. Add salt and the lobsters and cook exactly four minutes after the water has returned to boiling.
• Drain the lobsters immediately. Make a small half-inch crack in the solid shell that covers the head of each lobster. Make the crack slightly below the eyes of each lobster. Place the lobsters tail-side up, heads down, so that the liquid drains from the heads.
• When the lobsters are cool enough to handle, tear off the tails and claws of each. Let the tomalley -the inner soft portion of the bodies-empty into a mixing bowl. Put the shells in a kettle.
• Place the lobster tails on a flat surface and cut lengthwise with a sharp knife or cleaver. Pull away and discard the intestinal tract of each tail. Remove the tail meat and put the shells into the kettle.
• Crack the claws and remove the meat. Put the claw shells into the kettle. Cut the claws and tail meat into bite-size pieces. There should be about three cups. Set aside.
• To the lobster shells in the kettle add 10 cups of water, the two cups of coarsely chopped onion and the bay leaves. Bring to the boil.
• Meanwhile, cut away and reserve the firm outer flesh of the peeled tomato. Set aside. Chop the inner portion of the tomato and add it to the kettle. Cut the reserved portion of the tomato into half-inch cubes. Set aside.
• Pull away the leaves of the chervil. Set the leaves aside. Toss the remaining sprigs into the kettle. Cook the lobster broth about one hour, then add the heavy cream. Let simmer briefly.
• To prepare the garnish for the stew, put four tablespoons of the butter into a saucepan. Add the garlic and finely chopped onion to the butter and cook about three minutes, stirring. Add this to the reserved tomalley and beat thoroughly to blend. Refrigerate.
• Meanwhile, heat the remaining eight tablespoons of butter in a heavy saucepan and add the leeks and carrots. Cook about five minutes, stirring occasionally without browning. Add the cubed lobster meat, the tomato cubes and cook, stirring briefly, until heated through.
• Strain the liquid from the kettle, discarding the solids. There should be about six cups. Pour this into the saucepan containing the lobster meat. Bring to the simmer and add salt and a generous grind of black pepper. Finely chop the chervil leaves and add them.
• Meanwhile, preheat the broiler and toast the French bread slices on both sides. Spread one side of each with a thin layer of the tomalley mixture. Run briefly under the broiler until the tomalley mixture starts to bubble. Serve the hot soup with the pieces of tomalley toast on the side.

BEANY BEEF CHILLI STEW WITH CRUNCHY TORTILLA CROUTONS

Steps:

• Heat half the oil in a large flameproof casserole over a medium-high heat. Tip in enough beef to cover the base of the pan in a single layer, being careful not to overcrowd the pan. Brown the beef on each side, turning until it has a deep brown crust all over - this will give the stew a deep, beefy flavour. Remove to a plate using a slotted spoon and continue cooking until all the beef is browned. Set aside.
• Heat the remaining oil in the same pan, then tip in the onions, reduce the heat to low-medium and sizzle for 8-10 mins until soft, stirring and scraping the base of the pan to lift any browned bits.
• Add the garlic, cumin, coriander, paprika, cinnamon and tomato purée. Stir for 1-2 mins until the spices are sizzling and aromatic, then tip in the chopped tomatoes and chipotle paste, if using, and crumble in the stock cubes. Return the beef to the pan with any resting juices, pour in 1.2 litres water, season and bring to a simmer.
• Once bubbling, reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid and simmer for 1 hr 45 mins, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, tip the lentils into a bowl, cover with cold water and leave to soak. Drain, then add to the stew, cover again and continue to cook for 45 mins more, or until the beef and lentils are tender.
• Tip in all the beans, return to a simmer and bubble for 5 mins until the beans are warmed through. If your stew is soupy and you prefer it thicker, boil, uncovered, for a few minutes more until reduced to your liking. Taste for seasoning and add more salt or chipotle paste, if you like; it may also need some sugar depending on the tomatoes you've used (add up to 2 tsp). Will keep chilled for two days or frozen for two months. Leave to cool completely first.
• If making the tortilla croutons, cut the wraps into small triangles and heat enough oil to cover the base of a deep frying pan. Fry over a medium heat for 2-3 mins, tossing in the pan until crisp. Or, simply crumble tortilla chips to make a quick, crunchy topping.
• Serve the stew in bowls topped with your choice of feta, soured cream or yogurt, coriander, avocado and sliced chilli, lime wedges on the side for squeezing over and the tortilla croutons. Grind over some black pepper, if you like, before serving.

CHUNKY STEW

Steps:

• In a large pot over medium high heat, saute the ground beef for about 5 minutes, or until tender. Drain excess fat. Add the tomato-vegetable juice and bring to a boil.
• Add the potatoes, vegetables and onion and bring back to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for about 30 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. Salt and pepper to taste.