• 4 tablespoons margarine
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 medium carrot, chopped
• 1/2 medium green bell pepper, chopped
• 2 large garlic cloves, chopped, divided
• 4 cups chicken stock or broth (we used 4 teaspoons Better Than Bouillon Chicken Base and 4 cups water), divided
• 2 pounds lobster bodies with flesh attached, hacked into 10 pieces
• 1/4 cup dry sherry
• 11/2 cups heavy cream
• 11/2 cups milk
• 1 heaping tablespoon Better Than Bouillon Lobster Base
• 4 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• Salt and fresh-ground black pepper, to taste

In a large saute pan, melt margarine over medium heat. Saute onions, carrots, green peppers and garlic about 4 minutes, or until fragrant, soft and just beginning to take on color. Add 1 cup chicken stock and hacked lobster bodies with flesh. Saute 4 minutes, shaking pan and turning sections of lobster until they turn pink and flesh is soft. Pour sherry over lobster and let sizzle, stirring about 2 minutes.

Remove lobster pieces from pan to a large platter; set aside. When cool enough to handle, remove flesh from shells; set flesh aside. Return shells to pan and add remaining 3 cups chicken stock, heavy cream, milk and Lobster Base. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, partially cover and simmer 5 minutes. Remove and discard all pieces of lobster shell.

Mix together soft butter and flour. Add mixture, a tablespoon at a time, to liquid in pan, whisking to dissolve it completely before adding next tablespoon. You want soup to be the consistency of heavy cream.

Strain mixture, reserving liquid in a 3-quart saucepan. In a blender, puree solids, including reserved lobster meat, until smooth. You may want to add a little reserved liquid to smooth solids as you puree them.

Return pureed solids to remaining liquid in saucepan, whisking well to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Makes about 10 cups.

6 Servings