One of summer’s simplest pleasures is the lobster roll. Sitting seaside on the deck of some seafood shack while eating a decadent yet shockingly simple sandwich as the breeze flows through there’s no reason why lobster rolls should be relegated to beachy vacations and road trips through New England. The essence of the lobster salad is super easy to replicate at home.
There are actually two styles of lobster rolls: Connecticut and Maine. Maine lobster rolls — the more famous style — are served cold and tossed with a mayonnaise-based dressing. Connecticut rolls are served warm and with drawn butter. What they have in common, however, is being served on top of a buttery grilled split-top bun with an essential squeeze of lemon.
But today, let’s talk about how to make a Maine-style lobster roll. After all, cold dishes just taste better on hot summer days.
The technique for making a lobster roll is actually really easy. The first thing you need to do is make a simple dressing out of mayonnaise, celery, onion and lemon juice. Then, fold in your cooked lobster meat -- lobster rolls are actually a great way to use up leftover grilled lobster tails, so if you spot a sale in the seafood aisle, pick up an extra tail or two. If you aren’t sure how to cook this crustacean, here’s the best way to cook lobster tails.
For you visual learners, check out our video on The Daily Meal’s YouTube channel showing how to cook lobster tails and use them to make lobster rolls:
Season your lobster salad with some salt; a few shakes of Old Bay seasoning won’t hurt either.
Like all great sandwiches, what takes a lobster roll to the next level is the bread. Don’t just use your grocery store brand hot dog bun, splurge for a quality split-top bun. Trust us, you want this bread to be good. After you acquire your bread, melt butter in a skillet until it starts to foam, then open up the buns and toast them until they’re golden brown.
After that, it’s time to assemble! If desired, add lettuce to the bun, add your lobster salad and garnish with some celery salt and chives (if you so happen to have these ingredients on hand). Serve with some homemade fries and enjoy this sandwich worthy of the dinner table.
Lobster Roll recipe
Recipe by James P. DeWan
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon diced celery
- 1 tablespoon diced onion
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/2 pound cooked lobster meat, cut roughly into 1/2-inch chunks
- Salt as needed
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 hot dog buns
- 1/3 ounce shredded lettuce
- Celery salt, for garnish (optional)
- Chives, minced, for garnish (optional)
Directions:
Step 1: In a mixing bowl, combine 2 tablespoons mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon diced celery, 1 tablespoon diced onion and 1 tablespoon lemon juice.
Step 2: Fold in lobster meat and a pinch of salt. Taste and adjust for seasoning.
Step 3: Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a medium sauté pan until it starts to foam. As foam subsides, open each hot dog bun wide and place them split-side down into hot butter. Toast until golden brown, about 1 minute, then remove to individual plates.
Step 4: Divide the ⅓ cup shredded lettuce evenly between buns, then top with lobster mixture. Garnish with optional celery salt and chives and serve immediately.
By Carolyn Menyes
