Lobster Roll

Overview:

The New England area is known for its abundance of lobster, especially off of the coast of Maine. The lobster roll has its origins as a convenience food served at humble seaside food shacks in the early 1900’s. Over time, this sandwich cemented itself as a staple at both fast-food establishments, as well as fine dining restaurants in the New England area. This sandwich can be found in both types of establishments to this day.

Ingredients:

(Serves 4)

Roll

·     4 cups AP flour (480g)

·      4 tsp sugar (16g)

·      2 tsp dry yeast (4.8g) or 6 tsp fresh yeast (14.4g)

·      1/3 cup water (74g)

·      2 cups milk (300g)

·      4 tsp melted butter (18g)

·      2 tsp salt (10g)

·      1 egg, beaten

Filling

·      4 medium lobsters

·      1/4 cup mayonnaise (60g)

·      2 celery ribs, diced fine

·      1 small bunch chives, finely chopped

·      1/4 cup butter (60g)

·      Salt & pepper

Preparation:

Rolls

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl until combined. Cover and allow to rest for 30 minutes. Remove dough and knead until smooth. Allow dough to rise at room temperature until doubled, about 1 hour.

Divide dough into halves, then divide those halves in half, and divide those halves one more time, until you have 8 equal sized pieces. Each piece should way around 110g each. Roll each piece into a cylinder about 11cm in length. Flatten the cylinders slightly.

Transfer buns to a baking sheet with parchment paper and cover with a towel. Let them rise for 45 minutes. Brush the tops with egg wash. Bake in a 400-degree oven for around 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Before serving, cut the bun 2/3rds down the center.

Lobster Filling

Steam lobster until cooked through, about 15-20 minutes. Remove meat from the shell and set aside. Mix with the mayonnaise, celery & chives. Season to taste with salt & pepper. Toast the buns in a pan with butter. Fill the buns with the lobster and serve immediately.  

Notes:

• If you live outside of the US, can’t find hot dog buns and don’t want to make them from scratch, you can substitute this for thick slices of brioche. Alternatively, use non-crusty sandwich rolls that are split down the middle.