Geoffrey Zakarian makes his Connecticut Lobster Rolls, as seen on The Kitchen, Season 31.
Recipe courtesy of Geoffrey Zakarian

Connecticut Lobster Rolls

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  • Level: Intermediate
  • Total: 1 hr 50 min (includes cooling time)
  • Active: 45 min
  • Yield: 4 servings
Summer is when lobster is most abundant and least expensive, so I wanted to create a dish that utilized this elegant ingredient without messing around with it too much. The beauty of this lobster roll is that it lets the taste of fresh summer lobster meat shine. Too often, lobster rolls are made with overcooked lobster meat that’s been drowned in mayo. Here, the lobster meat is par-cooked, then finished in melted butter, so it’s perfectly done. Just a kiss of mayo with mustard won't overpower the purity and succulence of the lobster.

Ingredients

Directions

  1. Fill a large pot halfway with water. Place over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Add a generous amount of kosher salt to make the water taste salty. Add the lobsters and boil, covered, for 6 minutes. Remove the lobsters and let cool to room temperature, about 1 hour.
  2. In a small saucepan, heat the butter on low heat. Add the seafood seasoning, lemon zest and 1 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Keep the butter on low while removing the lobster meat from the shells.
  3. Meanwhile, make the spicy mustard mayonnaise. In a small bowl, combine the mustard powder and 1 tablespoon water until smooth. In a separate bowl, whisk together the mayo, Dijon, lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. Whisk in the mustard powder mixture and the dill. Set aside.
  4. Twist off the tails and claws of each lobster, reserving the body for another use, such as stock. Remove the lobster meat from the tails and claws and roughly chop into large pieces. Place the meat in the melted butter and poach until cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes.
  5. To prepare the buns, lightly butter each side of the buns. Place on a frying pan or griddle on medium heat to toast. Remove and fill each bun with the butter-poached lobster and drizzle with the spicy mustard mayo. Sprinkle with chives.