Serves 4
65 min
Late Summer Corn and Lobster French Onion Chowder with Gruyère Toasties
Recipe GLPRd923cf44b713f9
A sophisticated French-inspired chowder combining caramelized onions, sweet corn, and tender lobster in a rich cream broth, topped with crispy baguette and melted Gruyère cheese. This elegant one-pot meal celebrates late summer produce with depth and refinement.
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Ingredients
4 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped
2 tablespoons butter
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
4 ears fresh corn, kernels removed
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 French baguette, sliced
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
2 sprigs fresh thyme
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 ounces Gruyère cheese, shredded
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 lemon, juiced
3 to 4 lobster tails, 8 ounces each
1 1/2 cups dry white wine
2 large sweet onions, thinly sliced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Directions
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the lobster tails and boil for 6 to 10 minutes until they turn bright red and the meat is opaque throughout (internal temperature should reach 165°F). Drain and set aside to cool slightly. Once cooled enough to handle, cut along the back and belly of each tail, remove the meat, and dice or shred it. Set aside.
In a medium-large pot, cook the chopped bacon over medium heat until crispy, about 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel to drain and set aside, leaving about 1 tablespoon of bacon fat in the pot.
Add the butter to the bacon fat. Once melted, add the sliced onions, thyme sprigs, and 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions begin to soften, about 5 minutes.
Continue cooking and scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pot, stirring regularly, until the onions are deeply golden brown and caramelized, about 20 minutes total. This develops the soup's rich flavor.
Sprinkle the flour evenly over the caramelized onions and stir well to coat, cooking for about 1 minute to create a roux. This will thicken the soup.
Slowly pour in the white wine while stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Add the chicken broth and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally.
Add the corn kernels to the pot. Return to a boil, then reduce heat, cover with a lid, and simmer for 10 minutes to allow the flavors to meld and the corn to soften slightly.
Stir in the heavy cream and simmer uncovered for another 5 minutes. Squeeze the lemon juice into the soup and stir to combine. Remove the thyme sprigs.
Add the diced lobster meat to the pot and gently stir to distribute. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Keep the soup warm on low heat.
Preheat the broiler to high. Ladle the hot soup into four oven-safe soup crocks, dividing the soup and lobster meat evenly. Top each crock with one or two baguette slices and a generous handful of shredded Gruyère cheese.
Place the soup crocks under the preheated broiler, watching closely, for 30 seconds to 1 minute until the cheese is melted and bubbly with light golden edges. Do not leave unattended.
Carefully remove the crocks from the broiler using oven mitts. Sprinkle fresh basil on top and stir in the reserved bacon pieces. Serve immediately while hot.
