Lettuce Roll Lobster - West Coast Style

The CSA farm service had delivered red bib lettuce, luscious tomatoes, and red onion; grilled lobster waited in the refrigerator to be reinvented; I was daydreaming about the Hamptons, and it was lunchtime.  With a little Food Madonna inspiration, a very nutrient-rich meal emerged.  

Lobster Rollin' on the West Coast 
1 c. cooked lobster meat
1 celery rib, chopped 
2 T red onion, chopped
2 T fresh tarragon, chopped
2 T fat free mayonnaise
1 t dijon mustard
juice from 1/2 large lemon
lettuce leaves
Combine lobster, celery, onion, and tarragon in a bowl.  In a separate bowl, mix the remaining ingredients before adding to the lobster mixture.  

Tip: mix all of the dressing ingredients before adding them to your main ingredients.  It's harder to adjust the flavors when it's all mixed together and worse, if your dressing doesn't turn out at all, you would have ruined your key components.  
Spoon the lobster mixture into lettuce leaves and serve with lemon wedges.  
Alternative:  If you want to have yours East Coast style, but still have it lower in calorie, take advice from the luminescent nutritionist Ellie Krieger and serve the lobster salad in whole wheat hotdog bun. 

RECIPE

Cheap Tail - Grilled Lobster

I'm a sucker for fish and meats that are on sale, but that means I have to be flexible and simple with food prep.   I swear I picked up lobster tail as the "manager's" special at Ralph's for only $5.99 a tail.  Sure, it wasn't minutes-fresh from the ocean, but it smelled good when I boldly tore open a corner of the package at the store.   This is an opportune time to remind everyone to ask your fish monger or butcher to let you smell it before they wrap it.  I hate them and myself and the lady who's driving slowly in front of me when I need to make a return trip to the store.

Grillin' Lobster - the easy, healthy way.  Here's how:

Slice open hard shell and fan open to reveal the lobster meat.

Brush meat with lemon juice and olive oil mixture.

Place tails flesh side down on medium, lightly oiled grill.
Cook for about 4 minutes and turn over.
Brush more lemon juice and OO on the grilled meat and let it cook for another 2-3 minutes.  Don't overcook.  The shells will be pink and the meat will not be translucent. 
Serve in the shells or remove the meat, slice, and serve.  Feel free to go the butter dunking route, but I don't think it's necessary.

Serve with lemon wedges.  I added grilled vegetables that my sister-in-law sent home with me after her Fourth of July party.  Yeah, they held up.  I uncooled them in the microwave for 90 seconds to bring them to room temperature.

Grilled Lobster Part 2:  Lobster Roll West Coast Style.

RECIPE