Name: Shellfish Boil
Ingredients: • 3 whole lobsters; • 4 tbsp olive oil; • 2 chopped medium onions; • 2 chopped garlic cloves; • 4 chopped celery stalks; • The tops from a fennel bulb, chopped; • 4-5 chopped plum tomatoes; • 1/2 lb chopped mushrooms; • 3 medium chopped carrots; • 1/2 cup white wine or dry sherry; • 4 tbsp chopped parsley; • 4 bay leaves; • Salt; • Water; • Cheesecloth for straining; • Reserved lobster meat (3 tails and 6 claws, tails cut in half down the middle and claws cracked with the back of a knife or kitchen mallet); • 6 tbsp olive oil; • 1 lb fresh mussels; • 1 lb fresh clams; • 1 lb shrimp (size 16/20); • 1 head fennel – julienned – (tops removed and used for lobster stock); • 1 large Spanish onion – julienned; • 3 cloves of garlic – crushed; • ¾ lb of fingerling potatoes – washed and cut in half; • 4 ears of corn – hulled and cut; into 4 pieces each; • 2 litres lobster stock; • Salt & pepper to taste; • 1 bunch flat leaf parsley - chopped

Recipe courtesy of FSH & CHP Restaurant, Hamilton
Visit them at fshandchp.ca or call 905.777.9999

Yields1 Serving

Lobster Stock Ingredients

• 3 whole lobsters

• 4 tbsp olive oil

• 2 chopped medium onions

• 2 chopped garlic cloves

• 4 chopped celery stalks

• The tops from a fennel bulb, chopped

• 4-5 chopped plum tomatoes

• 1/2 lb chopped mushrooms

• 3 medium chopped carrots

• 1/2 cup white wine or dry sherry

• 4 tbsp chopped parsley

• 4 bay leaves

• Salt

• Water

• Cheesecloth for straining

Shellfish Boil Ingredients

• Reserved lobster meat (3 tails and 6 claws, tails cut in half down the middle and claws cracked with the back of a knife or kitchen mallet)

• 6 tbsp olive oil

• 1 lb fresh mussels

• 1 lb fresh clams

• 1 lb shrimp (size 16/20)

• 1 head fennel – julienned – (tops removed and used for lobster stock)

• 1 large Spanish onion – julienned

• 3 cloves of garlic – crushed

• ¾ lb of fingerling potatoes – washed and cut in half

• 4 ears of corn – hulled and cut

into 4 pieces each

• 2 litres lobster stock

• Salt & pepper to taste

• 1 bunch flat leaf parsley - chopped

Lobster Stock

Remove the tails and claws from the lobster and set them aside for the main recipe, then break the lobster shells into small pieces. Open the bodies and remove the gray, feathery gills. Remove the sand sac from between the eyes. Crush the bodies so they fit in a large stew pot. Heat the olive oil in the stew pot and sauté the onions, celery and carrots over medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes. Add the lobster and cook for another 2-3 minutes.

Add the garlic, fennel and mushrooms, mix well and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Add the parsley, bay leaves and tomatoes, then the wine or dry sherry.

Mix well and cook until the alcohol largely burns off the wine, about 3-4 minutes. Add enough water to cover everything by 2-3 inches. Bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer. Simmer gently for at least 90 minutes. Add some salt and pepper to taste.

Cook until it tastes full-flavored, and then strain. Do this by turning off the heat, then grabbing all the big chunks with tongs and tossing them in the trash. Strain the rest through a fine-meshed sieve with a piece of cheesecloth set inside it. Reserve the stock for bouillabaisse, or refrigerate until needed. Stock may also be frozen for up to 3 months.

Shellfish Boil

Start by heating a large, shallow pot on the stove over medium high heat. When the pan is hot add olive oil. Add fennel and celery to the pot, cook stirring frequently until vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes.

Add garlic to pot and cook 2 – 3 minutes. Add lobster (still in their shells) to the pot, the fingerling potatoes, corn and stir. Add lobster stock to pot and bring to a slow simmer. Cook for 6-8 minutes. Immediately add the shrimp, mussels and clams to the pot. Continue to simmer for an additional 3-4 minutes, or until mussels & clams begin to open. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, finish with flat leaf parsley.

CategoryDinner

This colourful, delicious shellfish boil is an amazing addition to your holiday repertoire. It's a classic dish that has been on Chef Mike Cipollo and his wife, Paula's holiday menu for years - try it today!

Ingredients