Lobster Salad, Anyone?

“Lobster salad?” the elegant dowager from Provincetown exclaimed. “My, one must be doing awfully well to serve lobster salad.”

Not one to burst a bubble, I simply replied, “Sure, Ma.” If she only knew how affordable and easy this lobster salad is to make.

The lobsters I purchased live from a tank at my supermarket were reasonably priced: $8.99 a pound. (Two weeks earlier, they were advertising for $6.99 a pound.) At this time of year, four lobsters are affordable, especially for a small gathering of close friends and family.

The lobsters were feisty as they were pulled from the tank, a very good sign indicating a fresh lobster. Never pick an inactive or dull lobster. The market steamed the lobsters free while I did the rest of the shopping and even provided crushed ice for the hand-held cooler I had brought to hold them.

Removing the lobster meat from the tails was easy with my fresh-from-the-dishwasher sanitized scissors. A few cracks with my lobster cracker dislodged the claw meat. Next, I cooked the bacon and sauteed the vegetables, letting them cool while I made my mayonnaise then put it in the refrigerator to chill. The cool tarragon-bacon provided a nice contrast to the slightly warm corn salsa placed next to it.

The salads were assembled at the last minute on plates I had chilled in the freezer and, since it was a luncheon, were accompanied by a refreshing mango iced tea.

With planes to catch and people to see, two of the guests had little time to spend at lunch, which was fine. This “quick fix” did the trick, and everyone went away well-fed and feeling somewhat indulged.

Menu (30 MINUTES OR LESS)

Lobster Salad

Mango Liced Tea

PROVINCETOWN LOBSTER SALAD

4 (1- to 1 1/4-pound) cooked lobsters

4 strips bacon

2 large cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup diced red onion

1/2 cup diced celery

1/2 cup yellow corn kernels, cut from cob

Salt, pepper

2 tablespoons tarragon leaves

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

1/4 teaspoon white vinegar

2 egg yolks

1 cup canola oil

1 (7-ounce) package mixed salad greens

1 avocado, sliced

2 tomatoes, cut into wedges

Remove tail and claw meat from lobsters, reserving meat from four claws. Roughly chop remaining lobster meat into bite-size pieces. Transfer to bowl, cover and refrigerate.

Cook bacon in skillet until crisp. Drain on paper towels, then break into small pieces and set aside.

Pour off all but 1 tablespoon bacon drippings remaining in skillet. Add garlic, onion, celery and corn. Season with salt and pepper to taste and saute over medium-high heat until onion and celery are crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Set aside.

Chop tarragon in food processor 30 seconds. Add mustard, vinegar and egg yolks and process 30 seconds more. Slowly drizzle oil into egg mixture with processor running until mixture thickens and all oil is incorporated. Add bacon and process until smooth. (Alternatively, to avoid using raw egg yolks--see Safety Note--flavor prepared mayonnaise with mustard, tarragon and bacon.) Transfer mayonnaise to bowl and fold in reserved, chopped lobster meat. Cover and refrigerate.

Place equal portions of lettuce on 4 salad plates. Place 1/2 cup lobster mixture in center of each salad. Top each lobster portion with 1 reserved claw. Place 1/4 cup corn mixture to side of each lobster mixture. Garnish salads with avocado slices and tomato wedges.

4 servings. Each serving:

902 calories; 720 mg sodium; 294 mg cholesterol; 82 grams fat; 15 grams carbohydrates; 35 grams protein; 2.12 grams fiber.

MANGO ICED TEA

1 (26-ounce) jar sliced mangoes

Cold water

2 (1/4-ounce) tea bags

1/2 cup sugar

1 lime

Use the larger 1/4-ounce tea bags labeled specifically for iced tea. I used an orange pekoe blend for this recipe.

Strain mangoes, reserving syrup.

Pour syrup into 3- to 4-quart saucepan, adding enough water to make 4 cups. Bring to rolling boil. Remove from heat; add tea bags and let steep 5 minutes.

Force mangoes through sieve and add to tea. Add 4 cups water, sugar, and juice of 1/2 lime and mix well. Remove tea bags. Serve over ice and garnish with lime slices.

6 to 8 servings. Each of 8 servings:

108 calories; 2 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 0 fat; 28 grams carbohydrates; 0 protein; 0.77 gram fiber.

Countdown

30 minutes before: Place salad plates in freezer. Start boiling water for tea. Remove tail and claw meat from lobsters, chop and refrigerate.

25 minutes before: Pour boiling water over tea bags. Cook bacon and saute vegetables.

20 minutes before: Finish tea and refrigerate.

15 minutes before: Make mayonnaise and refrigerate.

5 minutes before: Remove salad plates from freezer. Assemble salads.

Ingredients

Shopping List

4 (1- to 1 1/4-pound) steamed lobsters

1 (1/2-pound) package bacon

1 red onion

1 small bunch celery

1 ear yellow corn

1 bunch tarragon

1 (7-ounce) package mixed salad greens

1 (26-ounce) jar sliced mangoes

2 (1/4-ounce) tea bags

1 avocado

2 tomatoes

1 lime

Staples

Canola oil

Eggs

Garlic

Dry mustard

Pepper

Salt

Sugar

White vinegar

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Chef’s Tips

*Many markets, including most Asian supermarkets, will steam live lobsters for customers while they finish shopping. Check with your local market.

*The herb mayonnaise will have a fresh-from-the-garden color if you chop the fresh herbs in the food processor as the first step in making the mayonnaise.

*Leftover herb mayonnaise will keep refrigerated about 3 days. Dollop over grilled fish or spread on hamburger buns for signature fish fillet sandwiches.

*If the mayonnaise separates, rescue it by processing an egg yolk in the food processor and, with the processor running, slowly adding the separated mayonnaise. Don’t use this method, however, if you want to avoid eating raw eggs.

*Safety Note: Although many recipes like this lobster salad with homemade mayonnaise call for uncooked eggs, the U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends that diners--especially children, seniors and those with compromised immune systems--avoid eating raw eggs. As an alternative, flavor bottled mayonnaise with herbs, mustard and bacon.

* Shellfish kitchen towel from Room With a View, Santa Monica.