One of the joys of summer in New England is the appearance in our groceries and fish shops of fresh lobsters from nearby coasts. You can buy live lobsters to cook at home or purchase them steamed and ready for the table. You can also pick up cooked lobster meat at some fish markets. I love tucking a container of tender chunks of lobster into my cart—at home it is the key ingredient for my lobster rolls, makes a perfect addition to seafood chowders, and pairs beautifully with corn in creamy gratins.

This past weekend, I used a cache of cooked lobster meat in a glorious main course salad. It was based on a recipe I discovered a few years ago in the book Lobster by Brooke Dojny. To make it, diced lobster meat and chopped scallions are combined with purchased mayo scented with lemon zest and juice. Mounds of this coral-hued salad on a bed of butter lettuce with avocado wedges, plus cherry tomatoes as garnishes made a bright, colorful impression.

Although lobster meat is expensive, there is no waste. For this recipe which serves two only 8 ounces is needed. I easily quadrupled the recipe for my larger gathering. A basket of toasted focaccia slices was a great partner to the salad. Two more seasonal favorites, corn bisque as a first course and a peaches and cream cheesecake for dessert completed the menu. There was not a morsel left on any salad plate!

 

 

 

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Lobster Salad with Avocados and Cherry Tomatoes

1 1/2 cups finely diced cooked lobster meat (bout 8 oz)
1/4 cup mayonnaise (such as Hellman’s)
2 tbsp minced scallions, white and green parts
1 tsp grated lemon zest
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp kosher salt plus more if needed
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper plus more if needed
One head butter lettuce
1 ripe but not mushy avocado plus 1 extra (See cooking tip.)
1 cup red, yellow, and orange cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1 tbsp chopped chives

1.Combine the lobster meat in a bowl with the mayonnaise, scallions, and lemon zest and juice. Season with salt and pepper and stir well to combine. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour to blend flavors (can be made up to 4 hours ahead).

2.Halve one avocado and remove pit. Gently with a sharp paring knife remove the skin and slice the avocado halves into 4 wedges each.

3.Arrange 4 to 5 butter lettuce leaves a salad plate. Mound half of the lobster salad in the center of the leaves and garnish with 4 avocado slices and some halved cherry tomatoes. Sprinkle sea salt lightly over the avocados and tomatoes. Sprinkle salad with chives. Repeat to make one more salad.

Serves 2

Notes:
If you wish to use whole lobster, cook 1 1/2 pounds hard-shell lobster or two 1-pound soft-shells and remove the meat or buy cooked picked-out meat to get 8 ounces.

I always buy an extra avocado in case my first one is too ripe or has dark spots.

Lobster salad recipe adapted from Lobster by Brooke Dojny (Storey Publishing 2012)