LOBSTER AND JERUSALEM ARTICHOKE CHOWDER

LOBSTER AND JERUSALEM ARTICHOKE CHOWDER image

Yield 10 starters

Number Of Ingredients 13

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1 live lobster, approx ¾ lb
¼ cup salt
water
3 springs thyme and a bay leaf
3 slices (turkey)* bacon
1 medium onion, diced
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon thyme
1 tablespoon butter
4 chunks of Jerusalem Artichoke (each about the size of a small potato)
1 cup heavy cream (fat free half and half)*
Salt and pepper to taste
(substitutions marked with * are for low fat version)

Steps:

Fill a large pot about 2/3 full with water. Add salt, scraps of thyme, and 1 bay leaf. Bring to a boil and add lobster back side down. Cover and boil for 6 min. Turn lobster over and boil for another 6 minutes. Remove lobster and let cool until you can handle it. Do not discard cooking water. Once cool enough, pick meat out of lobster, chop into small pieces, and set aside. Smash the shells of the lobster and return to the cooking water. Continue to boil. Cook the bacon in a large soup pot. (If you use turkey bacon, you will need to add a little oil). Stir in the onion, bay leaf, chopped thyme, and butter. When the onions are translucent, add the Jerusalem Artichokes and 4 cups of the lobster cooking liquid. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer until the artichokes are tender, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, reserve some of the chunks- about ½ a cup. Blend the rest in a blender or food processor until smooth. Return all to soup pot. Add lobster meat and cream. Simmer for 5 minutes and season with salt and pepper.