Lobster Rolls

I'm addicted.  I love them. They're delicious. They're my favorite.  I think I could eat them for breakfast, lunch & dinner.  I do not lie about this.  Lobster Rolls are what I like to think of as sweet little sandwiches, where the roll just wraps it's self around sweet pieces of lobster meat and gives it a big hug. 

I will not keep you waiting anymore!  

Lobster Rolls

2 or 3  1 ½ lb. live Maine Lobsters

1 onion cut in half

½ cup dry white wine

Fresh thyme

Coarse Salt

Fill a very large pot with water and add the wine, onion & thyme to a rapid boil.  Add the salt.  Then add the live Lobsters (head first) and cover the pot.  Now walk away and say a little thank you to the lobsters and come back in 11-13 minutes… and it’ll all be over.  Remove the lobsters and set aside and allow to cool for about 15-20 minutes. (SEE BELOW FOR ADDITIONAL HOW TO'S FOR COOKING THE LOBSTER) 

Then you can get crackin’! Remove all of the lobster meat.  Start with the tail, twist it off the body and then using kitchen shears, cut on the inside of the tail all the way down the middle… the tail meat should come out fairly easily.   Then using a mallet, crack the claws and pull out the claw meat.  Using the kitchen shears again, cut the knuckle on the claw- it’s got the sweetest part of lobster meat in it!  Cut all of the meat into a large dice. Don’t cut them too small! 

Reserve in a bowl, put in the fridge. 

½ cup lowfat mayo- or you can make your own- (egg yolks, lemon juice, oil & a smidge of Dijon) 

½ lemon juiced

1 tsp. fresh thyme minced

2 celery stalks diced

2 green scallion or onions sliced thinly

½ tsp. Dijon mustard

½ stick melted butter (optional… but oh so good!!!)

1 tsp. Paprika

Mix all the ingredients, except the butter and paprika, in the bowl with the lobster meat.  Add salt & pepper to taste.

4 Hot Dog Buns

Brush the hot dog buns with the melted butter.  Put face side down on a grill or a skillet and allow to turn golden brown.

Layer with Ice Berg lettuce and the Lobster Salad mixture.  Sprinkle some paprika on top! And if ya got a little bit of that extra butter left... a little drizzle of that wouldn't hurt either on top! 

OH EM GEE GOODNESS!!!!  

**If you're a bit squeemish about boiling your own lobster- when at the market or fish monger- you can ask them to steam them for you- most of the time they will!  If you can do it on your own... here's a pretty detailed guide on how to. 

**How to Boil a Lobster**

• Boil enough water to cover the lobsters in a large pot.
• Add the lobsters head first carefully into the water then partially cover the pot.
• When the water comes back to the boil reduce the heat to a low boil and begin timing.
• How long to boil a lobster:   Boil for 10 minutes for the first pound, then add three minutes for each additional half pound. So a one and a half pound lobster will be cooked in 13 minutes, a 2 pound lobster will be cooked in 16 minutes. Multiple lobsters can be cooked in a pot with this timing – just make sure your water comes back to the boil before starting the clock.
• Remove the cover entirely when the water begins to foam up to avoid spilling over.
• When cooked the lobsters will be bright red.
• Drain the lobsters carefully and let cool until they can be handled.
  
  
  Special Note:  It might be tempting to grabbed the pre-cooked whole lobsters you see in the seafood case, but don't do it!!!  If the lobsters were not alive when they were cooked, the meat will be very off-tasting and mushy. There is an enzyme that's released by  lobsters when they die and any delay in cooking them will result in a very gross tasting lobster.  Some stores will fish any dead lobsters from their tanks (it happens…) and cook them to avoid throwing them away. If you are not absolutely sure buy one that’s live and kicking!