Saturday, June 15, 2013
(Update 2014: For a rockin’ lobster roll video, click here.)
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Why do so many lobster rolls suck?
(rants The Nutrition Doctor)
This question vexes me greatly given how simple it is to make the classic New England sandwich. I can not count the number of times I’ve paid hard-earned money for a sub-par lobster roll—a phrase that should not exist in the English language.
Or any language, for that matter.
No doubt I’ve been spoiled, because my cousin Mike in Maine makes the best lobster rolls. Ever. I was lucky to learn from the master.
And now I make my own at home to avoid roll rage.
1. Assemble your ingredients. Pictured are the main ones, including lobster, onion, celery, mayo, and lemon. (Olive oil and rolls not shown.)
2. Remove lobster meat from shell. Or buy it unshelled if you’re squeamish.
3. Cut lobster in medium-size chunks—or larger, to your liking. Don’t go too small, as many restaurants do and it sucks; you need succulent pieces you can sink your teeth into. Place in bowl.
4. Finely mince some onion and celery. You don’t want too much, just a bit.
5. Gently stir together lobster and vegetables with a bit of mayo. Okay, now, listen carefully. Do not overdo the mayo. Start with a small amount, then taste and add more if needed. Many lobster rolls are drowned in mayo, which is a crying shame and makes them suck. Less is more, and using good mayo is important.
6. The PK Way recipe also includes a small squeeze of fresh lemon juice, a drizzle of olive oil, and a grind of fresh pepper; omit if you prefer but I find it delightful. (Lobster is naturally salty, so I don’t add salt straight away before tasting or it might suck.)
7. Toast hot dog rolls on a hot griddle. The classic uses white, but I’ve found a terrific whole wheat hotdog bun that I love; it has to be high-quality to be worthy of the lobster, note. Likewise, while the traditional recipe uses butter, I’ve applied extra-virgin olive oil with a pastry brush with excellent results. The classic white bread and butter version is always spectacular, but I was quite pleased with how well these substitutions worked, and it’s now my regular recipe. And trust me when I tell you I would not be writing this publicly if I didn’t think so, because I am obviously a lobster roll snob who would never compromise on taste.
8. Spoon lobster filling carefully into toasted roll. Note you can barely see the mayo, a good sign you haven’t overdone it.
I’m Gonna Need a Bigger Lobster…
As it turns out, my 1.25 pound chick really wasn’t enough meat for a lobster roll dinner for two, so this batch of lobster rolls was, um, a little light on lobster. (If I ordered it in a restaurant, I surely would have narrowed my eyes in disapproval of the meager portion.) I’m usually more generous on the filling and could have used some larger chunks in there, too, come to think of it; I really just didn’t have enough lobster.
Which, yeah, I’ll fully admit, kind of sucked.
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If you’re a lobster lover, you might also enjoy my recipes for a modern lobster roll, lobster bisque, lobster risotto, or soft lobster tacos with avocado cream and mango salsa.For all of these dishes, meeting the meat is not required.
This blog is so much fun!!!
Thanks, Susan! 🙂 Cheers, PKN
The lobster roll looks easy enough to do and I would like to try this sometime, but do you have some simple instructions for preparing a frozen tail? Even without the head, having to clean out the yucky vein thingee on it makes me squeamish! Thanks.
~Liz
Thanks for the comment, Liz! Easy indeed. I’m going to direct you to the interwebs to scope out your question to provide more detail than I can in this comment; I don’t have experience with frozen lobster so don’t want to misadvise. Frozen food can be a wonderful alternative to fresh for many dishes but to be honest I’d worry a bit with this recipe: the lobster is the key to a lobster roll, and I worry that starting from frozen won’t yield the best result given the freshness and tenderness of the meat is really key. But certainly worth giving it a shot! Good luck! Cheers, PKN
Thank you! I guess I should have said that the lobster tails are often in the chilled section but had been previously frozen.
Liz
That is an interesting question, isn’t it? The toasted hot dog roll is pretty much non-negotiable with me (and Mrs. B).
I do concur that when you get the basic roll down, like Mike’s, there’s not much of a need to mess that up, and yet….so many do. Too much mayo, lobster that’s lacking in freshness, skimpy amounts of lobster meat, lobster that’s “pulverized,” etc.
We’ve been on a pretty good roll early in the season, up here in Maine. Trying out some new places that we haven’t been to before.
Looking at some of your other lobster recipes; lots of intriguing variations on a classic, New England theme.
Toasted roll is definitely key, I agree; I’ve been delighted with how delicious my whole wheat one is – very mild, doesn’t compete with the meat, and better texture than many white ones I’ve tried – so really just depends on the brand and baker, it seems. I’ve been reading about your lobster roll adventures with envy. And thanks for the kinds words re. other lobster recipes. I have a handful of favorites for sure (bisque, rolls, risotto, tacos) and other than the occasional steamed bug that’s all I eat of this crustacean, every now and again. Isn’t it required of a New Englander? Yeah, I’m going with that.