Lobster, Shrimp or Crab Salad Sandwich
(in New England called a Lobster Roll)

New England Lobster Roll

In New England they serve these sandwiches in hot dog buns that are split from the top down as shown in the picture instead of on the side. For a truly elegant lunch, serve on croissants instead of the bun.

To serve as an appetizer, make mini cream puffs or phyllo cups and stuff with lobster, shrimp or crab mixture and lettuce, if desired. Also good would be mini croissants.

One site said Lobster Rolls contain 3.5 to 4 oz. of lobster meat.

Connecticut-Style Lobster Rolls: Unlike its Maine counterpart (which is served cold) a Connecticut-style lobster roll is served warm and without any mayonnaise. Cooked lobster meat is tossed in warm butter and a hint of fresh lemon juice to warm it, then served in a New England style top-split bun that has been buttered on the sides and toasted until golden brown.

Invention of the Top-split Bun

The top-split hot dog roll was the precursor to the all-familiar ballpark, hinge-type bun that most of us Americans put on our tables today (and that one didn't come along until the 1950's). Before the invention of the New England bun, commercial bakers would slice rolls all the way through. Interestingly, hot dogs had absolutely nothing to do with the invention of the top-sliced roll either.

Back in the 1940's, a Maine-based bakery, J.J. Nissen, came up with the idea at the request of Howard Johnson's. This very-popular family-friendly Massachusetts-based motel-restaurant chain (that dotted our American landscape during the 1960's, '70's and into the '80's) wanted a stable roll -- one that would not 'roll over' on the plate. They wanted it specifically to hold their signature fried clam strips. HoJo's loved it and introduced their new bun to the USA, where it remains a novelty, except in New England where it's the #1 choice for lobster rolls, clam rolls and frankfurters.

2 cups cooked lobster, shrimp, or crab pieces [cook with some seasoning so the seafood has more flavor]
1 1/2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 1/2 cups celery, finely sliced
1 Tbsp. green onions or chives, finely sliced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Few capers (optional)
Hamburger or Hot dog roll, croissant, or Challah egg roll
Butter, if using rolls
Lettuce leaves, or fresh alfalfa sprouts
Paprika, to garnish

Sprinkle the seafood with a bit of lemon juice. Add the mayonnaise, celery, green onions or chives, and capers, if using. Be careful not to use too much mayonnaise or onions; they can overpower the flavors of the seafood. Chill at least 30 minutes to meld the flavors.

To prepare the buns, preheat a large heavy skillet over medium flame. Lightly butter both sides of each bun and cook for 2 minutes per side, until golden brown.

To make the sandwich, place a lettuce leaf or alfalfa sprouts in the warm bun, spoon in some seafood salad, and top with a sprinkling of paprika.

Note: In New England they use New England-style hot dog buns, which have the slit down the center of the top of the bun instead of on the side. The sides of the bun are crustless and are always first buttered and toasted on a griddle giving them a crispy, buttery outside.

Emeril's Lobster Rolls

4 hot dog buns
1/4 cup melted unsalted butter
1/3 cup homemade or good quality mayonnaise
1 tablespoon white truffle oil (optional)
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup finely chopped celery
2 tablespoons minced shallots
2 tablespoons minced fresh chervil
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
1 teaspoon chopped chives
1 pound freshly cooked lobster tail and claw meat, cubed
Potato Chips, garnish

Preheat the grill or broiler.

Using a pastry brush, spread the inside and outside of each bun with melted butter. Grill quickly to warm through (alternately, place on a baking sheet and run under the broiler). Remove.

In a bowl, combine the mayonnaise, truffle oil, lemon juice, and salt, and mix well. Fold in the celery, shallots, chervil, parsley, and chives. Fold in the lobster meat. Place 1 bun on each plate and divide the lobster salad among each. Serve immediately with potato chips.