Every summer one of my co-workers heads to Maine for a vacation. And every summer he comes back and tells me how many times he had lobster, fresh off the boat. Then he proceeds to tell how delicious it was and all the different ways he prepared it. Then, if that wasn’t enough of a tease, he throws in how inexpensive it was.
By this time, as you can imagine, I am craving lobster.
Lobster seems to be everywhere today. In the past two months, it’s been featured in several food magazines. Lobster rolls, in particular, keep popping up. New York Times food writer Melissa Clark wrote about them for GiltTaste.com, saying she started eating lobster more when she heard “they were one of the few reasonably sustainable seafoods out there.”
An article in Martha Stewart Living talks about how low in fat and calories lobster is – 6 ounces has just 166 calories and less than 1 gram of fat. That is, of course, if you don’t give it a butter bath.
The article goes on to say that lobster can be heart-healthy because it has no saturated fat and is low in cholesterol (122 milligrams for six ounces). However, keep in mind that cooked lobster has 646 milligrams of sodium. As with other foods, it’s what you put on it or serve with it that can cause problems.
Lobster rolls are “easy to make and exquisite to eat,” writes Jasper White in the “The Summer Shack Cookbook: The Complete Guide to Shore Food,” by Jasper White (Norton, $35).
There are many versions of the classic lobster roll (lobster salad nestled in a toasted bun). But it shouldn’t be just any lobster salad – it should be chunks of perfectly cooked lobster tail and claw meat mixed with the right amount of creamy mayonnaise (preferably homemade) that may have a bit of crunch from diced celery and is, perhaps, garnished with celery leaves. And the bun is important. It should be a New England-style hot dog bun with the opening on top. The top and sides of the bun should be brushed with melted butter and toasted.
Today’s recipe is adapted from several lobster roll recipes. I highly recommend making your own mayonnaise, but keep in mind that it requires a raw egg yolk. If that makes you squeamish, use a good commercial mayonnaise, adding a touch of fresh lemon juice.
