Maryland Seafood Stew

In large stock pot, melt butter, add oil, and saute onion until translucent. Add carrots, celery and stir for about 5 minutes. Add garlic, stir briefly and add stock (can be still frozen). Add potatoes and remaining vegetables. Add water if necessary to bring liquid to top level of food. Bring to simmer and add sliced sausage. When vegetables are cooked, you may take this off the heat, cool and refrigerate overnight. (This improves the flavor.)

About 45 minutes before serving, heat over medium burner, bringing soup to simmering boil. Add Old Bay and black pepper, cook for about 10 to 15 minutes and taste for seasoning, adjusting as necessary. Ten minutes before serving, with broth simmering, add seafood, stirring to blend.

cook's notes

This is richest if you make a stock from the steaming liquid used for lobster, adding the discarded shells and water to cover, simmering, straining and freezing. Shrimp shells may also be used if shrimp was steamed with plain water.