Lobster and Mussel "Chowder" with coconut milk, lime and chilies

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This dish is inspired by a Thai-style yellow curry. The combination of lobster, stock, curry and coconut milk is absolutely delicious with lobster and mussels. This restaurant-size version of the soup base can be scaled down to fit home use.

• 1/2C Chopped ginger
• 1 Onion, sliced
• 4T Chopped garlic
• 2T Hot curry powder
• pinch of saffron threads
• 6 Dried hot chilies
• 5 Bay leaves (or dried lime leaves)
• 8C Lobster stock
• 8 12oz. cans of coconut milk
• 2T Fish sauce

In a small stock pot, sauté the ginger, onion, and a garlic with a couple of drops of vegetable oil until translucent. Add the curry powder and cook for a minute more seasoning very lightly with salt. Add the lobster stock and reduce by half to intensify the flavor. Then add the rest of the ingredients and simmer gently for about 20 minutes. It is very important not to boil this soup or the coconut milk might separate. Stir in the fish sauce in the last 5 minutes. Strain the vegetables from the soup, double-check the seasoning and set this chowder base aside to cool.

When the cabbage has finished curing in the salt, prepare the "pickling solution". In a saucepan, put the water, salt, sugar, ginger and garlic, and bring this to a quick boil. In the food processor, make a puree of the chili paste, dried shrimp and fish sauce, and add this to the solution. Turn down the heat and allow this to simmer for 20 minutes.

Per serving:

• 1 one-pound lobster, boiled in salted water and the meat removed from the shell
• 5 mussels
• 1/4C cooked jasmine rice
• 4 very thinly sliced rings of sweet onions
• 4 thin slices of sweet red bell pepper
• 3 fiery-hot bird peppers
• 1t chopped cilantro
• the leaves from the one sprig of thai basil
• 1T Kosher salt
• 6oz reserved soup base

Put all of the ingredients into a large skillet or small saucepa, and bring them to a quick boil. When the mussels are opened, the " chowder" is ready to serve. Garnish with lime-wedges and some hot chili-garlic sauce.

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