Made a huge pot of tomato lobster bisque. First steamed some fresh lobsters (the grandkids watching squirmed as I place the live lobsters in boiling water), let them cool, separated the meat from the shells, tossed the shells back in the pot, added more water, and let simmer for an hour and half until reduced by a third. Then strained the broth, discarded the shells, added 4 lbs of chopped tomatoes, about a dozen large tomatoes, 2 heads of crushed garlic, 3 tbs of hot pepper powder, the leaves from 10 sprigs of fresh marjoram, the leaves from 6 larges sprigs of mint, and a quart of light creme. Let it simmer for another 20 minutes, added two ounces of molasses. Mixed thoroughly, before running it all through the Vitamix for a thorough blend, before placing it all back in the covered pot before reheating for dinner. In the meantime, I chopped up the lobster meat, 3 bell peppers, 4 stalks of celery, a large white onion and mixed all with a fresh made mayonnaise flavored with fresh lime juice from three limes and lime zest, a bit of salt and pepper and a touch of mustard, placed in a large covered bowl in the fridge for cooling.
Earlier this morning I grated 2 large yams, using them with a mixture of buckwheat flour and all purpose flour for two large loaves of dough for a very yeasty bread. I let the dough rise twice, punching it down, before rising again, rolling the dough in raisins and cinnamon before the third rise. Baked the bread about 2 1/2 hours before dinner for a thick crusty bread, let cool, sliced thickly and served the lobster salad on open slices of the warm bread, accompanied by bowls of the lobster tomato bisque garnished with parsley sprigs. Also served a large bowl of lightly steamed fresh green beans served in a communal large bowl for those who needed a veggie fix. The kids each enjoyed two bowls of the bisque.
My wife made a few pitchers of homemade lemon limeade to accompany this repast, and some lemon squares lightly dusted with confection sugar for dessert.
BTW, yam breads were common during the depression because yams were far less expensive than flour. And they are full of flavor and nutrients. Good stuff. During the early years of our nation, the New England and Long Island waters were so flush with lobsters, considered a nuisance by fishermen and oystermen, they were mostly used for prison food.
