Under The Sea

As a child my family and i spent our summers vacationing in Nantucket, a small island off of Massachusetts. The summers were filled with adventures to the beach, whale watching , blue fishing, and of course my all time favorite, crabbing at the local ponds. These wonderful summers in Nantucket have heavily influenced my extreme love for seafood, which i believe i could eat everyday if i had the option and the money to. Being exposed to some of the best lobster around at the age of four, set me up for an impeccable and distinct seafood pallet. In Colorado I have been deprived of my whimsical and fresh seafood dishes i so often crave, so I have compiled some of my favorite seafood recipes; some that i have myself cooked and some that are still on the list to try. 

Lobster Rolls


A recipe for  the inspired, lobster rolls are and will always be one of my favorite dishes. This is a must try recipe, no matter the difficulty i will conquer the ever feisty lobster and in the end it will be delicious and well worth the battle.


Ingredients
1-½ lbs (about 4 cups) Cooked Lobster
3 to 4 Tbsp Mayonnaise
2 Tbsp Minced Red Onion
2 Tbsp Finely Chopped Peeled Celery
2 tsp Finely Chopped Tarragon
2 tsp Finely Chopped Flat-Leaf Parsley
2 tsp Finely Chopped Chives
Sea Salt
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
½ Lime
6 New England-Style (top-slit, if available) Hot Dog Buns
4 Tbsp (2 oz) Unsalted Butter, melted
1 Celery Stalk
1 Head Butter Lettuce, leaves separated, rinsed, dried, and torn into pieces
Pickled Red Onions
2 Large Red Onions (about 1 ¼ lb each)
½ Cup Red Wine Vinegar
¾ Cup Granulated Sugar
Method
Make the pickled red onions: Cut off the top and bottom of each onion and cut lengthwise in half. Remove and discard the outer layer. Cut a V-shaped wedge from the bottom of each half to remove the roots and the very centerpieces of onion. Put the onions cut side down on a cutting board and slice lengthwise into 1/8 inch-thick slices, following the natural lines on the outside of the onion; cutting with the lines, or grain, rather than across them will help the onions soften more quickly in the pickling liquid. Pack the onions into a 1-quart canning jar; reserve and slices that don’t fit.

Combine the vinegar and sugar in a small saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Pout the hot vinegar mixture over the onions. Once the onions begin to wilt, you can add any remaining onion slices to the jar, gently pushing them down into the liquid to submerge them. Let cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate for at least 24 hours, or up to 1 month.

Put the lobster meat in a large bowl, add the mayonnaise, and stir gently to coat. Add the onion, celery, tarragon, parsley, chives, salt, and pepper to taste and stir gently to mix. Squeeze the lime over the salad and fold in the juice. Cover and refrigerate.

If using top-slit buns, brush butter on both outer sides of each bun. If using unsliced buns, slit them open from the top, trim each long side to create a flat surface and brush with melted butter. If using regular hot dog buns, open the buns and brush with melted butter. Heat a frying pan over medium-high heat. Just before serving, put the rolls in the pan and brown the buttered sides.

To serve, peel the strings from the celery with a vegetable peeler. Using a Japanese mandoline or other vegetable slicer, or a sharp knife, slice the celery lengthwise into thin ribbons. Line each bun with a couple of small lettuce. Mound the lobster salad in the buns and garnish with the celery and pickled red onions.
Recipe adapted from Thomas Keller’s “ad hoc at home” cookbook.