Lobster Salad with Lemon and Dill Mayonnaise
Recipe courtesy of Mary Ann’s Bar & Restaurant, Castletownshend, Co. Cork
Preparation Time:20 minutes
Cooking Time:50 minutes
Level of Difficulty:Easy
Servings:4
Ingredients
- 1 small onion, sliced
- 1 slice lemon
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 fresh dill sprigs
- handful fresh parsley stalks
- few black peppercorns
- 120ml/4fl oz white wine
- 100g/4oz mixed salad leaves, such as chicory, rocket and lollo rosso
- 2 tbsp French vinaigrette
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- To Serve
- lemon and dill mayonnaise
- freshly baked brown soda bread
Method
- To prepare the lobsters, place each one on a board and cover it with foil and a cloth. Hold firmly down with one hand and, with the point of a large knife, pierce down to the board through the cross on the centre of the head.
- Put enough salted water to cover the lobsters into a large deep pan, and bring to the boil. As a guide allow at least 1 litre/13/4 pints to 1 teaspoon of salt per 500g/1lb 2oz lobster. Add the onion, lemon, bay leaf, dill sprigs, parsley, peppercorns and white wine and simmer for 5 minutes to allow the flavours to combine.
- Increase the heat and when the flavoured water is boiling, add the lobsters and boil for 5 minutes for the first 500g/1lb 2oz, adding an extra 3 minutes for each extra 500g/1lb 2oz. When the lobsters are cooked, the colour changes to bright red. Transfer to a large sink or basin of iced water to cool down immediately.
- When the lobsters are cool enough to handle, pull the claws from the bodies. Crack the claws and remove the meat. With a large chef’s knife cut each lobster in half from the back, along the length of its body, and remove its intestinal tract, then discard. Remove the tail meat and slice it up neatly.
- To serve, toss the salad leaves in the French vinaigrette, then season to taste and pile in the centre of each serving plate. Arrange the lobster meat on top and spoon a dollop of mayonnaise onto each plate. The remainder can be served in a small dish on the table along with a basket of the freshly baked brown soda bread, allowing guests to help themselves. VARIATION Try making this salad with only the freshest white crab meat.
