"Home" Sweet Home

I know I said that maybe I'd have other things to do today besides blog, and that's true. I did accomplish many, many things...like hosing off the back porches, vacuuming up about a thousand bugs that have somehow migrated into the house (the charms of east coast living), finishing the enormous and mysteriously multiplying pile of laundry, and taking the dog out for a much needed trot to reacquaint ourselves with the hood. But when I've cooked something delicious, I like to share it with you and when I've captured great photos of my subject, it makes it even more fun.

Take, for example, this lobster. I picked him live and wriggling out of the tank, and 15 minutes later, he was steaming hot and ready to go. Talk about fresh food...talk about fast food. Now I know that folks can be squeamish about such things, but lobsters are good and worth the extra effort they take to prepare. If you are uncomfortable holding the lid down so frantic lobsters can't escape the boiling water, have your fishmonger steam them for you. Most will, at no or little extra cost, and you save yourself the time (and trauma) of doing it yourself. I don't mind doing it myself, but it was one less thing to have to deal with for my dinner tonight. And if you are uncomfortable directly having a hand in the death of another living creature, don't even get me started on how many different dead cows were blended into the last burger you ate...

Tonight we had lobster corn chowder. Eastern corn is so lovely, sweet and delicate. Its tiny little kernels looked like shimmering pearls when I cut them from the cob. The rich stock was flavored with the lobster shells and the corn cobs (and a little Better than Bouillon Lobster Stock), and thickened only with a bit of flour and pureed corn, so it's not nearly as rich as other chowders that are heavily laden with cream. Accompanied by a loaf of artisan bread and a hearty salad (provided by my mom-in-law) and it made for a perfect light supper on a cool summer's (late spring's) eve, and a wonderful reminder of Cape Cod's bounty.

The recipe calls for purchasing and preparing the lobsters yourself. If you'd like to give that a go, check here and here with more specific instructions on how to do that. But if you'd prefer, your fishmonger will most likely be able to cook your lobsters for you (it takes about 15 minutes). For a meal like this, when the lobster meat is thrown in at the end, it's a great way to save time. But don't just buy lobster meat out of the shells because you need them to create a depth of flavor in your soup stock. This soup would be a beautiful first course, or a light dinner (with a bread and salad).

Lobster Chowder

serves 6-8 as a first course, 4 as a main course

2 live (or recently cooked by your fishmonger) 1 1/2 pound lobsters in their shells

1 yellow onion

1 T olive oil

1 T butter

3 cups of fresh corn kernels cut from cobs (from 3 ears), reserve cobs and split in half

8 C reserved water from boiling lobsters (or fresh water with 4 t of lobster or seafood base or 8 C of your favorite seafood stock)

6 small Yukon gold potatoes, cut into a 1/4 inch dice

1 zucchini, cut into a 1/4 inch dice

6 scallions, sliced

1/4 C flour

2 T butter

2 T olive oil

1/4 C chopped parsley

Boil lobsters in 8 cups of water in a large dutch oven (if you are having your fishmonger cook yours for you ignore this step). Reserve boiling water and remove meat from claws and tail, first snipping the tips of the claws over a colander set over a bowl (you're going to use all that juice), setting those shells aside. Heat a large dutch oven over medium heat. Melt butter and oil together and add onion and saute for about 5 minutes, or until it begins to soften. Add reserved lobster shells and corn cobs and continue to cook for 4 minutes more.

Add lobster cooking water (or 8 c of lobster or seafood stock) and simmer for 20 minutes. Drain broth through cheesecloth-lined colander over a large bowl. Heat remaining butter and oil and saute 4 green onions until soft, 2 minutes. Add flour and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, puree 1 C of the corn kernels with 1 C of the lobster stock. Add to pot with flour and whisk until thickened, about 2 minutes.

Return the remaining stock to the pot and bring to a boil. Add diced potatoes and simmer until tender, about 10 minutes. Add zucchini and corn to the pot and simmer for 2 minutes more. Add reserved lobster and heat through (about 1-2 minutes). Garnish with remaining chopped scallions and chopped parsley.

Just Roll With It

You probably have already realized this, but if you haven't, I feel I should come clean about a few things. First of all, there has been a frightening paucity of actual cooking going on in my house, which is hilarious, given that I supposedly live for it...well, that and the eating part. And second, my heart and mind have a severe eastward bearing, as if there is a giant magnet pulling me along. These two things, coupled with a ridiculous baseball schedule (yes we are STILL playing and I get to be at the baseball field for five (5!!) hours tonight), make for some interesting dinner preparations.

So tonight, to continue on my path of actual non-cooking, and my Cape Cod mentality, I will be making lobster rolls to take along to the ball games. Those frozen langostino tails I have told you about from Trader Joe's are actually pretty good. Tender, not at all fishy, and quite lobster-esque in flavor, they will hopefully help satisfy my yen until I can eat an actual lobster, in about a month (hopefully).

Disturbingly, the west coast fails to appreciate the beauty that is the top split hot dog bun, which I have come to love. Instead we must make due with the ones that are slit through the side, or pay a dollar each for unsliced buns from Bristol Farms. Each year at the end of the summer, I stock up on a few bags of top split buns, and hope they make it home relatively undamaged. There they wait in the freezer and are whipped out whenever I need a taste of my home away from home. The flavor is exactly the same, but the east coast kind have nice tall sides that can be toasted in butter, which is an essential component of a good lobster roll. These toast okay too, but instead of having crisp sides, as is usual, you get a crisp buttery top and bottom. We'll suffer through it.

Though there are many variations on the classic, I prefer them prepared simply. Mayonnaise, slivers of celery and a pinch of salt and pepper are all you really need. If I'm feeling really crazy, I might throw in a chopped green onion or some fresh dill, but usually I'm not. And the lobster should be a good mix of tail and claw meat, not left in huge chunks, but not chopped up small either. I will make a real version for you this summer. But for now, the langostino tales and side split buns will have to make do. If I close my eyes, I might be able to imagine that I am eating the real thing, and instead of sitting at my sons' little league games, I'm sitting at the high school ball field watching some good Cape League baseball. Go Y-D Red Sox!

P.S. I apologize in advance for the increasing frequency of postings about Cape Cod. It is only going to get worse...just wanted to give you the heads up!

Makeshift (or Desperate Times) Lobster Roll

makes 4

Melt some butter (1 T) in a medium skillet over medium high heat. Add the buns (4) and brown on each side. Toss 12 ounces of thawed langostino tails (or cooked lobster or cooked chopped shrimp) with 1/2 C mayonnaise, a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, 1 stalk of slivered celery, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Open bun and add a layer of baby lettuce. Pile in langostino salad and carefully wrap in parchment paper. Bring along to your sons' baseball games and close your eyes as you eat it. You just might be able to imagine you are eating the real thing somewhere where the real thing is served. Relax and smile. You'll be there soon enough.