Faith Middleton's Food Schmooze

Lobster Chili

CourseMain course, Main Dish

Servings

Ingredients

4 (1-1/4-pound) lobsters
4ears corn, shucked
12cups water(plus more as needed)
12 roasted green chiles(New Mexican long green or poblano)
1 serrano chile, chopped(optional)
4 tatume squash or zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 white onion, chopped
1teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
2tablespoons masa harina, dissolved in ¼ cup hot water, to thicken(plus more as needed)
salt
12 corn tortillashomemade or store-bought
pepper sauce, such as Tabasco or Cholula

Instructions

To cook the lobsters and corn, bring 12 cups of water to a boil over high heat in a soup pot large enough to fit the lobsters and corn (or use two pots). Put the lobsters and corn in the boiling water. Boil the lobsters until bright red, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove the lobsters and set aside to cool. Continue cooking the corn until tender, about 5 minutes more. Remove the corn and set aside to cool. Reserve the liquid.
When the lobsters are cool enough to handle, break off the claws, crack the claw shell and each joint with a nutcracker, and set aside. Remove the meat from the tail and chop into bite-size pieces and set aside. Remove the shell from the body and discard, making sure to reserve any greenish tomalley or red roe.
To make the stock, chop the body sections (where the legs connect to the body) in four parts (setting aside any easily removed lobster meat) and put the body pieces in the pot with the reserved liquid, along with any tomalley or roe. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook for 45 minutes, mashing with a potato masher frequently to extract as much lobster essence as possible. Add water as needed to maintain the level. Strain the liquid, you should have at least 10 cups.
To make the chili, combine 10 cups lobster stock, roasted green chiles, serrano, squash, onion, and oregano. Bring the stock to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook for 45 minutes, mashing with the potato masher until the squash and chiles begin to dissolve and the liquid reduces by a quarter. Do not puree. Add the masa harina mixture and stir to thicken. Add more masa dissolved in hot water, if needed, until the chili reaches the desired consistency. Salt to taste.
To serve, break each ear of corn into three pieces and add to the pot along with the lobster meat and claws to reheat for a minute or two. Then divide the chili among four large soup bowls, making sure the lobster meat is distributed evenly. Add three corn pieces and two cracked lobster claws to each bowl. Serve with hot corn tortillas and pass around the pepper sauce.