Anyway, I am a huge seafood fanatic, especially shell fish. Like, I would literally die if I found out I had a shellfish allergy. Since moving to London I've found it hard to find my ultimate fave crab legs so I tend to eat a lot more lobster these days. I know, poor me. But hey I always buy lots of it on sale and freeze whatever I'm not using. That brings me to my new recipe.... lobster pot pie!!!!
Fall/winter are well on their way and in the UK that could mean long wet and blustery months without sunshine and I'm hoping these pot pies will be my saving grace. Not only are they toasty and comforting but lobster always takes me back to beachy summer days. A nice little vacation in every bite.
Makes 8 mini pot pies or 2 large pot pies (I made minis because I'm freezing most of them unbaked for later enjoyment.)
Ingredients:
6 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 red onion, chopped
1 fennel bulb, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 c. potato, diced
1 c. carrot, diced
2 celery stalks, chopped
5 c. lobster stock (full recipe at the bottom) or fish stock
1/2 c. dry sherry
1 tsp old bay seasoning
1 c. heavy cream or buttermilk
1 heaped Tbsp corn starch, flour OR rice flour mixed with 1 Tbsp water (this is for thickening. If intending to freeze, use rice flour)
1 c. frozen peas
1 c. frozen corn
cooked meat of 2 whole lobsters or 4 lobster tails, chopped
handful fresh chopped flat leaf parsley
s&p to taste
2 sheets of pre-made puff pastry
1 egg + 2 Tbsp water
extra old bay and paprika for garnish (optional)
1.) In a large pot, sauté the onion and fennel in the butter till soft then add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute more. Now add the potato, carrot and celery and cook for 1 minute. Pour in the lobster stock, dry sherry and old bay and let simmer on medium heat for about 20 minutes. Slowly stir in the cream. Once well mixed, stir in the thickening liquid and keep string till you notice thickening. If it's not as thick as you'd like add more thickening liquid one tbsp at a time. Once it's reached you preferred thickness remove from heat and stir in the peas, corn, lobster meat and parsley. Add s&p to taste and let cool.
2.) Preheat oven to 220c/430f. Press the puff pastry dough into either individual ramekins or 2 pie pans. Pour cooled filling into the pastry then cover with another sheet, crimping the edges to seal it shut. Brush with egg wash, poke a few holes with a fork and bake for 25-30 minutes or till crust is golden.
To make these fun little lobster claw decorations just free-hand cut out the shape, brush with egg wash and sprinkle with old bay and paprika. Attach to the egg wash brushed tops of the pies.
To make the lobster stock.....
All you need is 3 Tbsp olive oil, 2 cleaned out whole lobster shells or 4 lobster tail shells, 3 chopped celery stocks with the leaves, 2 chopped carrots, 1 chopped onion, 1 chopped fennel bulb, 4 halved garlic cloves, 3 litres water, 1 sliced lemon, 2 handfuls fresh whole grape tomatoes, 1 Tbsp peppercorns, 2 tsp dried thyme and 3 bay leaves.
1.) sauté the first 6 ingredients in olive oil till everything but the shells are soft. Add remaining ingredients and let simmer uncoverered till the liquid reduces by half (up to 2 hours) Don't forget to stir occasionally to really get the flavors infusing.
2.) remove from heat and let cool slightly before straining out all the solids. Can be frozen for 3 months.
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