Seafood Chowder

Ingredients:
  • 1 Live Lobster (1-1/4 to 1-1/2 Lb.)
  • 1/2 Lb. crab legs
  • 1/4 Lb. white fish
  • 1/4 Lb. Sea Scallops
  • 1/4 Lb. Salmon
  • 3 Cups milk
  • 1/2 Pint cream
  • 3 Tbsp. butter (for the sauce)
  • 2 Tbsp. butter (for broiling)
  • 2 Tbsp. flour
  • 2 Tbsp. Corn Starch
  • 1 Red Bell Pepper (diced)
  • 2 Sticks of Celery (chopped)
  • 2 Oz. grated Cheddar Cheese
  • 1/4 Cup white wine
  • 1/4 Cup Orange Juice
  • Pepper to taste
Cook the live lobster in water. It's important to not overcook a lobster. Many cooks ruin lobster meat by overcooking it. Place enough water in a 5 Quart pot to cover the lobster and bring to a fast boil. Place the lobster in, head first, cover and allow water to resume boiling for 1 minute. Then reduce the heat to a low simmer and cook slowly for 10-15 more minutes (depending on the size of the lobster). Remove the cooked lobster from the simmering water and set it aside to cool. Leave the cooking water simmering, uncovered.
Crack the crab legs and set the meat aside. Place the shells and any ligaments or other non-meat pieces into the simmering water.
Broil the fish, salmon, and scallops in butter until just cooked (about 3-5 minutes per side). Skin and/or trim the cooked seafood and toss anything you trim off into the simmering water. Set the cooked seafood aside and add any broiler pan drippings or burnt seafood pieces to the simmering water.
Crack the lobster and set the meat aside. Place the shells and any non-meat pieces into the simmering water.
Simmer the cooking water until the volume is reduced to 2 Cups of seafood stock. This will typically take 2-3 hours. After about an hour, remove the shells and strain the stock. Then return to simmering and add the orange juice and wine.
When the cooking water is nearly reduced down to the 2 Cups volume, saute the bell pepper and celery pieces in a 3-4 Qt. cooking pot with 3 Tbsp. of butter until just cooked. Stir the corn starch and flour into the milk then pour it into the pot with the sauted vegetables. Add the grated cheese and cream, and heat the sauce, stirring constantly, over medium-high heat until the sauce thickens and just starts to bubble. Reduce the heat and add the reduced seafood stock and meat. Stir until the seafood pieces are heated. Pepper to taste and serve.