New England Lobster Rolls

Chef and Dr. Sonali Ruder (Inspired by New England; resides in New York, New York)

Serves 4

One of my favorite classic lobster dishes is New England lobster rolls. There is something about the sweet, tender lobster meat in the warm, buttery roll that gets me every time. Now, I know that there is a lot of debate as to which is the best lobster roll recipe. Some purists simply put steamed lobster in a buttered, toasted bun with no mayonnaise or other accoutrements. I, however, prefer my lobster rolls with a light coating of lemony mayonnaise, some finely chopped celery for crunch, and Boston lettuce to keep the bun from getting soggy.

Lemon-Chive Mayonnaise

(See Chef’s Tips on emulsification, this page)

1 egg yolk, room temperature

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1½ teaspoons fresh lemon juice

⅛ teaspoon kosher salt

6 ounces canola or other neutral-flavored oil

2 ounces extra-virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon water, room temperature (optional)

2 teaspoons chopped chives

Lobster

2 cups cooked and diced lobster meat

¼ cup homemade lemon-chive mayonnaise or plain mayonnaise

3 tablespoons finely chopped celery

Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

Rolls

4 top-split hot dog buns

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

3 leaves Boston lettuce, sliced

Lemon-Chive Mayonnaise

Place the egg yolk, mustard, lemon juice, and salt in a large bowl, and whisk together.

Mix the canola and olive oils together in a measuring cup with a spout. While constantly whisking the egg mixture in the bowl, slowly pour in the oil in a steady stream until emulsified.

If the mixture gets too thick, add water to thin it out.

Taste the mayonnaise, and season it to taste with salt and more lemon juice, if desired. Stir in the chives. Store any extra mayonnaise in an airtight container in the refrigerator for no more than 3 days. Yields 1 cup.

Lobster

Mix the lobster, mayonnaise, and celery together in a bowl. Season the mixture with salt and pepper.

Rolls

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Brush the inner and outer surfaces of the buns with butter. Open the buns and toast them in the skillet until golden brown on both sides. Arrange some lettuce on each bun and top with equal portions of the lobster mixture. Serve immediately.