Lobster, pea, and pea leaf salad

It's hot. Stinky-sweaty kid hot, thank God I run at 5:30 a.m. hot. Maybe not Texas in summer hot, but I'm a bona fide Jersey girl who has had enough of this humidity. And who wants to cook when it's like this (OK, me), let alone eat a big heavy meal.

And so for the first time in all our years of marriage and dating, I served my better half a salad for dinner. I kept it a secret til just before serving (fear of mutiny perhaps). And guess what? He loved it. Even went so far as to say it's better than my lobster BLTs. Whaaaa????

My inspiration? My CSA of course. They gave me fresh peas and beautiful lettuce. So I wanted a dish that highlighted the peas. The lobster is lightly dressed and piled on top of a bed of pea leaves and Romaine. Add red onion, bacon, peas and tomatoes and dinner is done. I find pea leaves at my Asian market. But you could swap another tender green lettuce. And if you cannot get fresh peas, just thaw some frozen ones. Easy-peasy.

Lobster, pea, and pea leaf salad

This light lobster and pea salad is perfect for a light supper on a hot summer night.

Ingredients

Dressing

• 2 Tbsp. mayonnaise
• 2 Tbsp. sour cream
• 1 tsp. lemon juice
• 1/2 tbp. coarse Dijon mustard

Dressing

• Meat from 2 cooked lobsters, each about 1 1/4 pounds
• 1 cup peas, fresh or frozen
• 4 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 1/4 cup grape of cherry tomatoes, halved
• 2 Tbsp. chopped red onion
• 2 cups pea leaves
• 6 medium Romaine leaves
• Freshly squeezed lemon juice
• Extra-virgin olive oil

Cooking Directions

1. Whisk the dressing ingresients in a small bowl and set aside.
2. If using fresh peas, blanch them in boiling salted water until tender, about 5 minutes.
3. Toss the pea leaves and Romaine with a little lemon juice and olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste. Arrange on 2 plates.
4. Toss the lobster meat with a little of the dressing to coat. Add more as needed, but don't overdress!
5. Pile the lobster in the center of the plate then sprinkle the peas, bacon, onion and tomatoes over the top.

Lobster rolls

That, my friends, is what summer looks like.

Lobster will forever be associated with summer in my mind. Perhaps it was childhood vacations in Maine and on Martha's Vineyard where I learned to crack a lobster, getting every last bit of meat from even the little legs. I remember my grandfather eating the tamale and roe, which I found totally gross as a kid.

So now, whether I'm on the Island or home in New Jersey, lobster - in all its forms, but especially piled high on a lobster roll - means it is summer.

I've read countless recipes for lobster rolls. But I'll forego a lot of herbs and fancy sauces and stick with a bit of mayo, a little celery and a few capers. Add Bibb lettuce and New England style buns and it's the perfect lunch (add a cold pint of IPA for summer perfection...)

Lobster rolls

Have your fishmonger steam them for you to save time. And use a rolling pin to get the meat out of the legs.

Yield: 4 lobster rolls

Ingredients

• 2 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pound lobsters, steamed, cooled and shelled
• 1 Tbsp. mayonnaise
• 1 stalk celery, diced
• 1 Tbsp. nonpareil capers, drained
• 4 leaves Bibb lettuce
• 4 hot dog buns, preferably top sliced or New England style
• Butter, to toast the buns

Cooking Directions

1. Cut the lobster tails into bite sized pieces. I like to leave the claws whole, but cut if desired. Set lobster aside.
2. In a small bowl, combine the Mayonnaise, celery and capers. Pour over the lobster and stir to combine. Refrigerate until ready to use.
3. Heat a pan over medium low heat. Butter the sides of the buns and toast until golden brown on both sides. Remove to a platter.
4. Line each bun with a lettuce leaf then pile high with lobster. 2 lobsters usually makes about 4 lobster rolls.

Lobster tacos

I wasn't planning to post again this week. Then this happened.


Pretty irresistible, huh?

Here's a glimpse into what makes me tick: I was on my weekly trip to the grocery store and looked (as I do every time I'm there) at the lobster tank. Imagine my joy when I saw a sign advertising a price drop on lobster. They were all jumbo - 3 pounds or more. So I took one and then contemplated it's future while I finished shopping. (I might have been humming a little tune I was so happy about the lobster. Nerd? Yep.)

It was a weeknight. I still had work to do. So I needed something quick. Lobster rolls? Lobster BLTs? Hmmm. Lobster tacos! I grabbed some avocados and fresh salsa and that lobster's fate was sealed.

(Lobster is quite possibly my favorite food. Ever. It will make many appearances on this blog in many forms...)

Lobster tacos

Save even more time by asking your fishmonger to steam the lobster for you.

Ingredients

sub-recipe if needed

• 1 jumbo or 2 medium lobsters, live or steamed
• 1 tbsp. butter
• 6 corn tortillas
• Fresh salsa
• Guacamole, homemade or store-bought
• Shredded cabbage
• Hot sauce of your choice

Cooking Directions

1. If using live lobster, bring 1 1/2 to 2 inches of salted water to a boil in a large pot. When boiling, put the lobster or lobsters in and put a lid on the pot. Steam for 10 minutes for the first pound and about 1 minute more for each additional half pound. (If using two small lobsters, steam them together for 10-11 minutes; if using a jumbo lobster, cook it for 13-14 minutes) Remove from pot and allow to cool to room temperature.
2. When the lobster is cool enough to handle, shell it, removing meat from the claws, knuckles, tail and legs. Set aside.
3. Heat a large skillet over high heat and cook the tortillas for a few seconds on each side.
4. While the tortillas are heating, melt the butter in a non-stick saute pan over medium heat. Add the lobster and cook until just heated thru. (It will get tough if you overcook it.)
5. To serve, divide the lobster among the tortillas and top with guacamole, cabbage, salsa and hot sauce (we like Cholula).