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)