Corn and Lobster Chowder

Makes: 6 servings

Start to Finish: 45 mins

Ingredients

3 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/2 cup finely diced onion
1/2 cup finely diced celery
2 ears corn, shucked and kernels removed, or 1-1/2 cups frozen corn
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 bottle (8 oz.) clam juice or 1 can (13-3/4 oz.) chicken broth plus water to equal 2 cups
8 ounces red potatoes, scrubbed and diced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
1/2 bay leaf
1 1/2 cups heavy or whipping cream
2 tablespoons finely diced red bell pepper
2 tablespoons finely diced green bell pepper
8 ounces frozen lobster meat, picked over and cut up
Crusty bread, optional

Directions

1. Melt butter in Dutch oven over medium heat. Stir in onion and celery; cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook vegetables 6 minutes or until softened. Add corn; cover and cook 5 minutes more.

2. Stir in flour; cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add clam juice-water mixture, potatoes, salt, white pepper, thyme and bay leaf. Bring to boil; reduce heat, cover and simmer 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Stir lobster, cream and red and green bell peppers into soup; simmer 3 to 4 minutes more or until lobster is cooked through. Remove bay leaf. Serve with crusty bread, if desired. Makes 6 servings.