Lobster stock is one of my favorite ingredients because it’s so potent and adds the distinct flavor of lobster to seafood soups. Once you boil the lobsters and separate the meat from the shells, the stock comes together easily. For once, you don’t have to discard the shells.

Ingredients:

3 lobsters (1^1/2 pounds each)
1 large Spanish onion, peeled and cut into
quarters
3 ribs celery, cut into thirds
3 carrots, peeled and cut into thirds
1^1/2 cups dry white wine or vermouth
1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
6 to 8 sprigs fresh parsley
Kosher salt, to taste
3 bay leaves
8 to 10 whole peppercorns
Water, as needed

Directions:

Fill an 8 to 10-quart pot with water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Drop the lobsters into the pot. Boil for 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the pot and let cool until they can be handled. Remove the meat from the shells
and refrigerate the meat until ready to use. Reserve the lobster shells and bodies.

In a stockpot place the lobster shells, onion, celery, carrots, wine, tomato paste, parsley, salt, bay leaves, and peppercorns. Add enough water to cover the lobster shells by 3 inches. Bring to a boil over high heat.
Reduce the heat to medium high and simmer 1^1/4 hours, adding 1 to 2 cups of water if the stock reduces too much. Strain through a fine mesh strainer or sieve or a regular colander lined with cheesecloth. Discard the solids. Let cool and refrigerate up to 3 days before using. Makes 10 cups.

Note: This is the only recipe I can think of that places more importance on the lobster shells than on the meat inside. You can feast right away on the lobster meat, and then make the stock, or refrigerate the meat for later use in a salad or a soup recipe, such as Pumpkin, Lobster, and Ginger Soup.