lobster rolls

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New England style lobster rolls are best when just mixed with a few simple ingredients...a sprinkle of finely chopped celery, tease of fresh lemon juice, touch of mayo and lightly seasoned with salt and pepper. And don't even think about serving it on anything besides a perfectly toasted, buttered New England style hot dog bun.

 New England Style Lobster Rolls

2 pounds cooked lobster meat, chilled and chopped roughly into chunks
1 small celery rib, finely chopped (see note)
1/4 cup mayonnaise (I use Hellman’s)
one or two squeezes of fresh lemon juice
Snipped fresh chives
Pinch of kosher salt and freshly ground white pepper
New England style hot dog buns
Unsalted butter

In a large bowl, combine the lobster meat, celery, mayonnaise, lemon juice, chives, salt and pepper and mix thoroughly. Adjust seasonings to taste. Stuff the toasted buns with the chilled lobster salad and serve immediately.

Just a note: if you are cooking your own lobsters, I recommend steaming them rather than boiling...steaming is a slower cooking process that results in more tender meat. There is also less chance of over cooking the lobster since the water does not penetrate the meat (making them more flavorful and succlent). It is important not to over crowd the pot or the lobsters will not cook properly. A 5 gallon pot is perfect for steaming up to 8 pounds of lobster (for more than that, steam in two batches). Fill the steamer pot with an inch of water and a tablespoon of sea salt. Place the rack inside, cover and bring to a rapid boil. Place the lobsters in the pot (claws first) and cover tightly. Roll the lobsters over after 7-8 minutes to make sure they cook evenly. Lobsters are done when the shell turns bright red and the tail meat is white without any translucency (should there be any roe, it also will be bright red). Total cooking time should be about 14-16 minutes per batch. 
To remove the meat: cool lobster completely, then break off the tail. Using a large knife, carefully slice through the underside of the tail section. If it is a female lobster discard the tomalley (this is the green substance found in the carapace of the lobster commonly refereed to as the liver and pancreas, these organs accumulate environmental contaminants, and although some consider them to be a delicacy, I discard them). Crack the claws and knuckles using lobster crackers and remove the meat.

Celery Note: When celery is chopped it releases it's natural moisture, which can drastically water down the lobster salad and give it an undesirable soupy consistency. To avoid having this happen, wrap the chopped celery in several paper towels and place in the fridge for 15 to 20 minutes, the towel will absorb any excess moisture.
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