Lobster Corn Chowder

• 1 Maine lobster, cooked, about 1 ½ pounds
• 2 tablespoons corn oil, or vegetable oil
• 2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 1 leek, white part only sliced
• 3 cloves garlic
• 7 ears of sweet corn
• 6 cups two percent milk
• 1 small bunch fresh summer savory, or fresh thyme
• 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• pinch of cayenne
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small red onion, finely diced
• 1 small red bell pepper, finely diced
• 1 clove garlic, chopped or pressed
• ½ jalapeno pepper, finely minced, or favorite hot sauce
• pinch of salt
• Small bunch fresh chives, finely snipped

Husk the corn, and remove all the silk. Washing the corn under cold running water will facilitate this. Cut all the corn from the cobs and reserve the cobs. Place the two percent milk, the corncobs, the salt and the summer savory or fresh thyme in a 4-quart saucepot. Bring to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes.

Reserve 1/4 of the corn kernels.

Meanwhile, heat a ten-inch sauté pan over medium heat, and add the 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the diced onion and bell pepper, sweat for five minutes, stirring, then add the garlic, the jalapeno, and the reserved corn kernels. Stir for one minute and remove from heat.

Heat the corn oil in a separate 4-quart stockpot and sauté the celery, onion and leek. Add the garlic cloves and the remaining three quarts of the corn kernels and sauté for two more minutes. Strain the hot milk over the pot and discard the herbs and the corncobs. Add the cayenne pepper and simmer for 30 minutes more.

Blend the soup and strain through a medium strainer. Check the seasoning and adjust if necessary. Keep the soup warm. To serve, slice the lobster tail and claws into 12 pieces. Spoon two tablespoons of the corn and pepper mixture into the center of six bowls, place two pieces of lobster in bowls and garnish with the snipped chives. Transfer the soup to a pitcher and pour at the tables.