Saucy Lobster Rolls

This great lobster roll recipe gives you a choice of sauces - from ranch, remoulade, tartar, or thousand island.  If you love lobster rolls, you'll enjoy the variations that each sauce delivers! Compliments of Judy Grigoraci, featured in the Charleston Gazette-Mail.

Simple, saucy lobster rolls Simple, saucy lobster rolls

Ingredients:

  • Frozen or fresh lobster tails (it takes about one four-ounce tail for one roll)
  • Melted butter
  • One package Heiner’s New England style split-top buns (six buns to a pack)
  • Butter lettuce, torn (may buy a head or the bag of butter lettuce for salads)
  • Diced or thinly sliced celery
  • Mrs. Dash Original seasoning
  • Remoulade or tartar sauce; ranch or Thousand Island dressing (recipes below)
  • Chopped fresh parsley
  • Chopped fresh chives

Directions:

THAW lobster tails if frozen. Cook in your preferred manner or split bottom and top lobster shell in half lengthwise (top to bottom) with kitchen shears, keeping the shell on. Select a baking pan large enough to fit the tails; pour small amount of water in bottom of pan to cover bottom by about ½-inch; place lobster, rounded hard shell up in pan. Drizzle lemon juice down into the center of lobster and a few dashes of juice in the water around the lobster.

BAKE at 350 degrees about 15 minutes, but time depends upon size. Bake just until no longer translucent; remove from oven and let stand until cool enough to handle. Remove lobster from shell; cut into pieces and toss them in a little melted butter. Set aside.

BUTTER the outsides of the buns and toast in hot dry nonstick skillet or griddle until golden on both sides. Layer the following in bun: lettuce, celery, sprinkle celery with Mrs. Dash to taste; lobster; remoulade or desired sauce; sprinkle sauce to taste with parsley and chives and serve immediately.

Remoulade Sauce
Makes about ½ cup. This is my version of a remoulade I tasted with a crab cake at the old Elk River Holiday Inn restaurant. I liked it and attempted to duplicate it at home.

  • ½ cup mayonnaise
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
  • ½ teaspoon cayenne
  • ¼ teaspoon dry mustard

WHISK all ingredients until smooth and blended. Cover and refrigerate to mellow flavors.

Tartar Sauce
Makes about ½ cup.

  • ½ cup mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoons dill relish
  • ¼ teaspoon dried minced onion
  • ¼ teaspoon dried parsley

WHISK all ingredients, blending well. Cover and refrigerate.

Ranch Dressing
Makes about 1 cup.

  • ½ cup mayonnaise
  • ½ cup buttermilk
  • 2 tablespoons sour cream
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
  • ½ teaspoon dried minced onion
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon Worcestershire
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper
  • 1/8 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/8 teaspoon cayenne (optional)

WHISK all ingredients, blending well. Refrigerate covered.

Thousand Island Dressing
Makes about 1 ¼ cup. Note: It’s the pickle relish (and the egg) that represents the thousands of the Thousand Islands.

  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • ¼ cup chili sauce (Heinz)
  • 1 hard-boiled egg, finely chopped (optional)
  • 1 tablespoon sweet pickle relish
  • ½ teaspoon paprika

WHISK all ingredients, blending well. Refrigerate covered until needed.\\

By Judy Grigoraci, Gazette-Mail