MAKES 8 LOBSTER ROLLS
Everyone needs to have a lobster roll when they visit Nantucket and I think ours is a beautiful representation of this New England classic: a warm, buttery toasted roll filled with super fresh lobster that we toss with lemon-spiked mayonnaise and fresh herbs. Please feel free to substitute precooked lobster meat for this recipe. Many fishmongers sell it. Our homemade rolls really do this iconic dish justice, but if baking isn’t your thing, you can use store-bought split-top hot dog buns, sliced brioche, or challah bread. Whatever your choice, be sure to butter and lightly toast the bread.
INGREDIENTS
4 (1½-pound) live lobsters
½ cup mayonnaise
2 lemons, zested and juiced
8 Homemade Rolls (recipe follows)
Butter, softened
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped celery leaves (light green only)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon leaves (lightly chopped right before using)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
Fill two large stockpots halfway with water and bring them to a boil over high heat. Once the water is rapidly boiling, add 2 lobsters to each pot, turn off the heat, and cover the pots with their lids. After 30 minutes, drain the lobsters and let them cool completely on a baking sheet.
Split the lobster tail down the back using a pair of kitchen scissors; remove and discard the intestine. Using the kitchen scissors again, remove the meat from the lobster knuckles. Cover each claw with a clean kitchen towel and crack them with the back of a chef’s knife. After removing all the meat from the shells, check it carefully for pieces of shell. Cut the meat into bite-size pieces.
In a large bowl, mix the chopped lobster meat with the mayonnaise and lemon zest and juice. Cover and chill until ready to serve (the lobster salad can be stored in the refrigerator for 1 day).
Preheat a griddle or large (12-inch) skillet over medium heat. Make a 1-inch-deep slice in the tops of the rolls. Butter the sides of each roll and toast them lightly until golden on all sides. Watch closely so they don’t burn.
Divide the lobster salad among the toasted rolls and garnish with the chopped fresh herbs.
MAKES 10 ROLLS
This recipe makes ten rolls, which means you’ll have two extras to eat fresh out of the oven with butter.
4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1½ cups water, room temperature
3¼ cups all-purpose flour
¼ cup sugar
¼ cup vegetable oil or olive oil
1½ teaspoons kosher salt
1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water
In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in the water. Add the flour, sugar, oil, and salt and combine with a rubber spatula. Once the dough comes together, turn it out onto a well-floured countertop and knead for a few minutes until the dough is smooth. Place the dough in a clean and lightly oiled bowl; cover with a clean kitchen towel and let the dough rise for 45 minutes or until doubled in size.
Turn the dough out onto the countertop again, this time with only a light dusting of flour. Divide the dough in half and then each half into 5 portions. Roll each portion of dough into a 5-inch log. Place the logs on a baking sheet that has been rubbed with oil and lightly dusted with flour, side by side and barely touching. Cover the baking sheet with a clean kitchen towel and let the rolls rise for 25 to 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 400°F. With a pastry brush, paint the rolls lightly with the egg wash, being careful not to deflate the rolls. Bake the rolls for 12 to 15 minutes or until the tops are evenly golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
THE PERFECT ROSÉ FOR SPRING ALFRESCO DINING
Domaines Ott produces friendly and elegant handcrafted wines. We love them as a progression with any meal. Pale and pretty, these wines are a crystal-clear pink with orange or gold undertones.
Located on the French Riviera in Provençe, the winery has built its reputation on innovation, style, and quality. Three rosé wines from this house are on the menu at CRU; for the tailgate picnic recipes in this chapter, we recommend the Château Romassan.
This Bandol rosé is rich in character thanks to Mourvédre, the predominant grape in the blend. Its pale, ethereal pink color is tinged with gold, and in the glass it releases a bouquet of citrus fruits. Grown in exceptionally dry, sunny weather in a soil comprised of limestone, sandstone, and sandy marl, Château Romassan‘s taste is lively and bright, with notes of pink grapefruit, the fruity roundness of Syrah, and a finish that is complex and lasting.
A LOVELY WHITE WINE FOR SPRING ALFRESCO DINING
For a white wine, we love Alex Gambal’s Saint Aubin Mergers des Dent des Chien. Produced in Burgundy, home of his winery Maison Alex Gambal, this premier cru was one of the first wines he created for the domaine. A beautiful pale gold, this wine showcases an elegant nose with notes of ripe lemon and toasted brioche. A perfect match with our lobster roll.
