Lobster Roll (Maine)

americanmainelobsterroll2 Lobster Rolls are sandwiches that hail from New England, mounding chunks of fresh lobster meat onto buttered and griddled split-top hotdog buns. One bite takes me right to the sound of the ocean, warm, salty breezes, and the sand beneath my toes. It's summer on a bun. Bring a taste of coastal New England to your table with these Maine Lobster Rolls. See how fresh, simple ingredients make these lobster salad sandwiches a crave-worthy summertime classic.

Nowadays, lobster rolls are set into two types: Maine-style and Connecticut-style.

Maine style is also known as lobster salad rolls. Served cold, the lobster is tossed with mayonnaise and often dressed with celery with lettuce in a split-top hot dog bun. These are usually what people think of when lobster rolls come to mind. They're also the most controversial, since other things are added to them, but tasty nonetheless.

Connecticut lobster rolls are also known as warm butter lobster rolls. These are the ones we're making in this recipe: the lobster is warm, finished and tossed in clarified butter, and served in the split top bun with lemon and a little scallions, though the scallions are optional.

2 (1½-1¾ lb) lobsters, boiled or steamed
3-4 Tbsp. Hellmann's mayonnaise
¼ cup celery, finely chopped (optional)
lemon juice, freshly squeezed (optional)
sea salt
black pepper, freshly ground
4 leaves lettuce (optional, I use Boston)
4 top-split, flat-sided hotdog buns (New England style)
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, softened

Remove tail, knuckle, and claw meat from the lobsters and cut into ½" chunks. You should have about 1 lb of lobster meat. Refrigerate until chilled.

Drain lobster meat, discarding any liquid. Gently toss lobster with 3 Tbsp. mayonnaise and celery (if using). The lobster should be coated, but not weighed down by the mayonnaise. Add an additional Tbsp. of mayonnaise, if needed.

Taste the lobster salad. Some brands of mayo have more tang than others. If the salad needs more brightness, add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Season to taste with salt (if needed) and pepper.

Cover the lobster salad and refrigerate for 30 minutes, or up to 6-8 hours.

When ready to serve, preheat a griddle over medium heat. Butter the sides of the hotdog buns and grill 1-2 minutes on each side, until toasted.

Place a leaf of lettuce (if using) into each griddled hotdog bun and mound each with ¼ of the lobster salad. Serve immediately with French fries, kettle chips, coleslaw, and dill pickles, if desired.

Makes 4 rolls.