He may not be running plays on the field but Paul O’Connell will certainly have his game face on come Super Bowl Sunday. For the sixth consecutive year, the Chez Henri chef-owner will be packing up and heading to the game to compete in Taste of the NFL. Along with former Patriots linebacker, Gino Cappelletti, O’Connell will whip up his special Smoked Cod and Lobster Chowder for this special VIP only event to take place during halftime. Tickets to the game may be a little hard to come by at this point, but you can always make the soup yourself and make like you’re in Dallas on Sunday, February 6th (hey, its snowing there too anyway). Check out the recipe below, invite over a few friends and settle in for a good game.

Smoked Cod and Lobster Chowder

• 3 pounds smoked cod
• 1 pound cooked lobster meat
• 1 pound unsalted butter
• 2 cups onion, minced
• 2 cups leek, quarter inch diced
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme
• 6 cups Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and half inch diced
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 5 cups fish fume or bottled clam juice
• 5 cups heavy cream
• salt and pepper, to taste
• curly parsley, stemmed and chopped

1. Soak the smoked cod in a bowl of cold water for one hour. Cut the cod and lobster meat into half inch pieces.
2. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions, leeks, herbs and potatoes. Cook until onions are soft, stirring often so mixture does not brown.
3. Add the white wine and heavy cream and bring to a boil for 2-3 minutes. Then, add the fish fume/clam juice and smoked cod, and simmer until the cod is fork-tender.
4. Add the lobster pieces at the very end, and season the chowder with salt and pepper.
5. Ladle into 8 pre-warmed bowls and garnish with parsley if desired.