Nothing says summer here in New England like a lobster roll. But I don't go to a clam shack to get one. The prices are ridiculous, the meat can be overcooked, and they often add ingredients I don't want.
I start with fresh lobster. I get it from my lobster man buddy, Gary, just down the street at his dock in Tiverton, right behind Coastal Roasters. Or I'll get 'em from my buddy, Dave, at Bridgeport Seafood. And the Sakonnet Lobster Company at Sakonnet Point in Little Compton, is a great place to get fresh live lobsters as well.
Once you've bought your live lobster, the next step is to cook it right. Some people steam and some people boil. I've always been a boiler myself. I fill a large pot half-way-to-two-thirds with water and add sea salt. I bring it to a rolling boil before the lobsters go in. And then I do the math...
I boil my lobsters for 10 minutes per pound, for the first pound. Then I add 3 minutes per pound for each additional pound thereafter. For example, a 2 pound lobster should boil for 13 minutes and a 1 1/2 pound lobster should boil for 11 1/2 minutes. These times are for hard shell lobsters, if cooking new shell (soft shell lobsters) reduce the boiling time by three minutes.
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A larger lobster is not always better. My uncle used to buy the largest lobster he could find, and it was impressive when he placed at the center of the dinner table. But the meat was like rubber. And personally, I felt bad for the old lobster that had made it that far in life. His last days should be in the ocean, not on a plate.
My maximum lobster size is 2 lbs. At that weight, you have an excellent meat-to-shell ratio...with lots of delicious meat that is still sweet and tender. It's perfect.
After the lobsters have been removed from the pot and have cooled for a few minutes, I get to work: cracking the claws and tail and removing every bit of beautiful meat I can find. Lobster lovers will tell you that the legs have some meat in them and that the tomalley (the green liver and pancreas) and roe (eggs) are delicacies not to be missed. For the purpose of making lobster salad, I don't use these parts. But I do save the tomalley and roe for a separate treat...and I save all the legs and cleaned empty shells for lobster stock.
Cleaning lobster legs is easy: simply remove all the legs from the body and place them flat on a cutting board. Grab a rolling pin, and one at a time, roll the pin over the lobster legs, starting at the claw end and working your way up. Like a tube of toothpaste, the meat will squeeze right out of the leg!
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Now for the important stuff. What goes in a lobster roll, and more importantly, what doesn't... I have very strong opinions in this matter.
First, there should NEVER be anything green in a lobster roll! No celery, no pickle, and it certainly shouldn't be sitting on a lettuce leaf!
No paprika or Old Bay seasoning. A pinch of celery salt? Sure. Mayonnaise? Only Hellman’s. White pepper, not black, and just a touch. Salt? A pinch of Fleur de Sel. And the secret weapon to bring out all the flavors: the tiniest squeeze of fresh lemon juice…not enough to give it a lemon flavor…just to brighten the taste.
As for the roll, I prefer those long Martin’s potato rolls: soft and squishy straight out of the bag or for extra decadence: lightly grilled with a little melted butter brushed on.