One Lobster, Straight Up

Too often lobster is covered with a heavy dressing or sauce. But just a little lemon or lime juice will bring out its sweet flavor. In this dish, skip the sauce and stay light.

Serve the salad in martini glasses with skewers of citrus wedges--for squeezing--and olives. The glasses are especially fun at a party or for special occasions.

Vary the seafood, if you’d like, by mixing the lobster with shrimp or crab. Remember, seafood cooks quickly on the grill, so watch it carefully.

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Glass from Crate & Barrel stores.

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Lobster Martini

Active Work and Total Preparation Time: 25 minutes

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2 lobster tails, about 1/2 pound each

2 teaspoons olive oil

Salt

4 leaves lettuce

1 avocado, cut into quarters

1 plum tomato, minced

1 small ear corn, cooked, kernels cut from cob

1/4 cup minced cilantro

4 lemon wedges

4 lime wedges

4 pimento-stuffed olives

Heat the grill to medium-high.

Cut the lobster tails in half lengthwise. Brush all sides of the tails with the olive oil. Grill the tails flesh side down for 5 minutes. Turn and grill until the lobster is opaque in the center, about 5 minutes. When cool enough to handle, remove the lobster meat from the shells and cut into 1-inch chunks. Lightly season with salt.

Line 4 martini glasses with a lettuce leaf. Stand an avocado quarter in each glass. Divide the lobster among the glasses. Top the lobster with the tomato, corn and cilantro. Thread each of 4 small wooden skewers with a lemon wedge, lime wedge and olive. Garnish each glass with a skewer.

4 servings. Each serving: 152 calories; 362 mg sodium; 41 mg cholesterol; 7 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 10 grams carbohydrates; 13 grams protein; 2.42 grams fiber.