Lobster Rolls

Lobster Rolls

I have been craving a lobster roll the entire summer long. Since Labor Day weekend is approaching, I figured I better make these before the summer is gone, and so I did. These lobster rolls are made with clean, simple ingredients to really let the lobster shine through.

Believe it or not, there are quite a few restaurants here in Manhattan where you can grab a lobster roll any time of the year. The first ever lobster roll I had was at Ed’s Lobster Bar in Soho which really impressed me. I then understood why lobster rolls are so popular in the North. Another place that is great for lobster rolls is Luke’s Lobster where you can get a sampler of shrimp, crab, and lobster rolls. There are other places in the city I’ve yet to explore. There’s always next summer.

Don’t let uncooked lobster intimidate you. All you have to do is boil the tails in water, and that’s it.

The shells are really easy to remove with a knife. Just cut down the center, and the meat will easily come out of the shell. Don’t forget to devein the lobster just like you would with shrimp.

Clean, simple ingredients are all you need for a tasty lobster roll.

lobster roll filling

Perfect end to the summer.

Lobster Rolls
adapted from Giada’s Kitchen

serves 2

Very little mayonnaise is used to let the lobster really shine through. If you like more mayo, try spreading it on the hot dog roll instead. Toast the hot dog buns under the broiler for a few minutes before adding the lobster for the perfect roll.

Ingredients
2 large or 4 small lobster tails (about 2 cups cooked lobster pieces)
2 teaspoons low-fat mayonnaise 
1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon
2 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped
zest of a small lemon
fresh squeezed lemon juice from 2 to 3 lemon wedges
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 whole wheat hot dog buns, lightly toasted

Directions
Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the lobster tails and cook for 5 to 8 minutes until the meat turns white. The tails will turn bright red and curl. Drain and cool the lobster for at least 30 minutes.

Using a knife, cut down the center of the top shell. Remove the meat from the shells, and remove the vein that runs down the center (similar to deveining shrimp). Cut the lobster into large, chunky pieces.

In a medium bowl, add the mayo, tarragon, chives, lemon zest, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir together until combined. Add the lobster pieces and toss to coat. Spoon the lobster mixture into the toasted hot dog buns and serve.

Broiled Eggplant with Goat Cheese and Pine Nuts

Broiled Eggplant with Goat Cheese and Pine Nuts

Burnt to a crisp. Not the food. Me. Ha! I’m literally red as a lobster after sitting in the sun all day yesterday watching tennis matches. After all these years, I finally made it to the U.S. Open, and it was the most amazing experience. I may not have seen Steffi Graf or Pete Sampras, my tennis idols growing up, but I got to see Serena and Venus play doubles. That was truly something special. Seeing the players in action made me want to pick up my racket and start playing again.

Lately, you may have seen eggplant on sale at your local grocery store. I decided to take advantage of the sale and cook some eggplant as a side for dinner. When it comes to cooking eggplant, I’ve roasted and sauteed it, but never broiled it until now. The eggplant is roasted with an olive, caper, and herb mixture. Then topped with goat cheese and toasted pine nuts. Goat cheese makes everything better. Right? It even convinced my anti-eggplant husband to give it a try, and to my surprise, he liked it.

This is regular eggplant, but you could also use Japanese eggplant which are thinner and more cucumber-shaped.

A bowl full of flavors. Use a fork to mash together the olives, capers, and herbs.

The best part is when the goat cheese slowly melts into the eggplant. Yum!

Broiled Eggplant with Goat Cheese and Pine Nuts Recipe

Broiled Eggplant with Goat Cheese and Pine Nuts
adapted from Molto Batali

serves 4 to 6

Broiling time will vary depending on a gas or electric oven. It took about 20 minutes to cook the eggplant with a gas broiler. Keep an eye on the eggplant as it broils. You may need to drizzle more olive oil halfway through to keep the eggplant moist since they are like sponges and absorb liquids quickly.

Ingredients
1 (1 lb) eggplant, end trimmed, cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch thick slices and halved
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup pitted kalamata olives, chopped
2 tablespoons capers, drained
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup goat cheese, crumbled
1 tablespoon pine nuts, toasted (see note below)

Directions
Preheat the broiler. Line a baking sheet if necessary.

Arrange the eggplant on a baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

In a small bowl, add the olives, capers, basil, marjoram, and oregano. Mix together with a fork, and mash lightly to make a coarse paste. Spread the mixture over the eggplant. Drizzle olive oil over the eggplant. Place the eggplant under the broiler, and broil for 10 to 20 minutes until tops are golden and edges are crisp.

Transfer the eggplant to a serving plate. Sprinkle with goat cheese and pine nuts, and serve.

Note: To toast the pine nuts, heat a small pan over medium heat. Add the pine nuts, spreading them evenly in the pan. Stir occasionally until they are slightly golden about 5 minutes.

Walnut Chocolate Chip Cookies

Walnut Chocolate Chip Cookies

Phew. Finally getting back to normal after an eventful weekend in DC with the family. Usually we take the Amtrak, but decided to try out the bus this time, and to my surprise it wasn’t bad at all. Free wi-fi, legroom, and a lot cheaper. No complaints here. Needless to say, there hasn’t been much cooking going on the past few days.

My cousin lives in downtown DC and took us to some great food spots. We enjoyed an outdoor dinner at the wine bar, Vinoteca. Then we walked down the street for some more wine and late night fish and chips at Brixton. Hint. Crowds come here for the rooftop. For brunch we ate at Busboys and Poets. If you’re ever in DC, you seriously need to try this place for brunch. It’s fantastic. The menu has something for everyone. The atmosphere has a coffee-house vibe mixed with art, culture, and of course politics. It’s DC.

It’s been a long time since I’ve made good ole-fashioned cookies. Thin, chewy with a little bit of crunch cookies.

My favorite chocolate chip cookie is with walnuts. Simple. Sometimes simple is all you need.

Freeze the dough before baking. This will firm up the dough. It will also create a soft, chewy center with crunchy edges.

These cookies will flatten and spread once baked. Leave about 2 inches of space between each one.

chocolate chip walnut cookie

Pour yourself a big glass of milk and enjoy.

chocolate chip walnut cookies

walnut chocolate chip cookie recipe

Walnut Chocolate Chip Cookies
loosely adapted from Giada’s Family Dinners

makes 18 to 20 cookies

Freezing the cookie dough before baking them creates soft, chewy cookies in the middle and crunchy around the edges for the best of both worlds.

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons butter, room temperature
3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup walnuts, chopped
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream the butter, brown sugar, and sugar together until fluffy using a hand mixer. Add the egg and vanilla, and beat until combined. With the hand mixer running, slowly add the flour mixture until blended. Stir in the walnuts and chocolate chips. Freeze the dough for 15 minutes.

Drop the dough by tablespoonfuls onto the baking sheets, spacing them 2 inches apart. (The cookies will spread out when baked). Bake for about 15 minutes, until edges are slightly golden. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Store cookies in an air tight container.