Maine Lobster Rolls

(American, New England lobster salad sandwiches)
Image by manray3
Lobster rolls are a favorite in sandwich shacks up and down the coast of Maine. The filling for this longstanding symbol of summertime is a simple, unadorned mix of fresh local lobster and mayonnaise. In Maine, lobster rolls are served in special buns that are split down the top. You can use regular hot dog buns.
4 sandwiches
Ingredients
- Fresh cooked lobster meat, chopped into chunks -- 4 cups (3 or 4 medium lobsters)
- Mayonnaise -- 1/2 cup
- Salt and pepper -- to taste
- Hot dog buns -- 4
- Butter, melted -- 4 tablespoons
- Iceberg or greenleaf lettuce, shredded -- 1 cup
Method
- In a large bowl, mix together the lobster meat, mayonnaise, salt and pepper until it all comes together.
- Heat a griddle, skillet or grill. Brush the inside of the hot dog buns with a generous amount of melted butter and toast the insides of the buns on the hot griddle or skillet, or grill them briefly over a fresh fire.
- Add some of the shredded lettuce into each of the hot dog buns. Then stuff the buns with the lobster salad. Serve with lemon wedges and potato chips on the side.
Lobster Roll Variations
- The classic lobster roll is a simple mixture of lobster meat and mayo, allowing the fresh, sweet lobster flavor shine through. Many seafood shacks do, however, add other ingredients. These might include chopped pickles, cucumbers, celery, or scallions, minced parsley or basil, dried mustard, cayenne pepper or a dash of Tabasco sauce.
- Crabmeat Roll: Use cooked, flaked crabmeat that has been picked through to remove any shells.
- For a poor man's roll, use poached and chopped shrimp.