Whenever we have a lobster
feed, I save the bodies and carcasses to make Maine Lobster Stock.
For an even more concentrated flavor, some chefs use the bodies
of uncooked lobsters. Freeze Maine lobster stock in pint containers,
and then you have a ready supply to prepare soups and sauces.
Maine Lobster Stock
- 12 cups water
Up to 5 pounds Maine lobster shells and/or bodies
2 cups aromatics, roughly chopped*
2 bay leaves
5 sprigs fresh parsley
6 whole peppercorns
1 cup dry white wine (may be omitted)
- Add all the ingredients to a large, heavy
stockpot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer gently
for 30 minutes.
- Remove the stock from the heat; strain
the mixture through a fine mesh strainer.
- Return the liquid to the stovetop and
simmer over moderate heat until it is reduced to about 2 quarts.
- Store cooled stock for up to four days
in the refrigerator or up to 6 months in the freezer.
Makes about 2 quarts.
*Ingredient
Note: Aromatics are the vegetables that add flavor and
depth to a stock. The basic French aromatics are celery, onion
and carrot. I often also use garlic, leeks, and mushroom stems.
Making stock is more of an art than a science; there is no precise
amount of each aromatic to use. This is why each chef has his
or her own uniquely flavored soups and sauces.
Tasting the stock is the key. Taste at
different stages, add aromatics if necessary, and be creative!
Recipe provided courtesy of Maine Lobster Promotion Council.
