Seafood Chowder

1 Maine lobster (about 1 lb.)
1/2 lb. Maine steaming clams
1/2 lb. shrimp (26 - 30 count)
1 can (10 oz.) baby clams
1/4 lb. butter
2 C. light cream
2 C. milk
1/4 C. dried parsley flakes
1 T. paprika
2 medium potatoes
4 oz. salt pork
1 medium onion, diced fine
Salt and pepper to taste
Oyster crackers, for serving

In 1 1/2 quarts of water, boil the lobster for 15 minutes in a pot with a lid. Remove the lobster and set aside. In the same liquid, cook the steamers until they open. Remove the steamers and set aside. Using the same liquid once again, cook the shrimp until cooked through. Leave in the pot with the broth.

Split open the lobster and pick out the meat. Break the meat into bite-sized pieces and return it to the pot. Clean the tomalley out of the lobster cavity and add it to the pot. Add the canned baby clams (with their juice), butter, cream, milk, parsley and paprika. Remove the steamers from their shells, pick off the neck sheath, and add to the pot. Keep warm but do not boil.

Peel and dice the potatoes. In a separate pot, cook them in boiling water just until tender. Drain and add to the pot.

In a frying pan, sauté the salt pork until rendered. Add the onions and cook until tender. Add the entire contents of the pan to the pot.

Simmer the pot on low heat until hot. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve the chowder in soup bowls with oyster crackers.

I found this recipe and decided to try it today. It's a hearty soup and great for this weather. As with all recipes that I find I tweaked it to fit my purposes and my family.

I've got to get Ra up and fed and off to school and then I'll be back.

Happy Cooking,
Sum