There are several good reasons to make salad your main dish, especially during the summer. For one, salads are convenient. Preparing a salad can help you save time in the kitchen, so you can spend more time outdoors and doing other activities that you enjoy most. Second, salads make great summer meals. Especially, when the temperature is too hot for cooking indoors, and you prefer something cold for dinner. Finally, if your goal is to eat more plant-based foods for a healthier diet, then eating more salads with a delicious mocktail during the summer can be a smart choice.
The key is to eat salads that feel less like an appetizer and more like a complete meal. Adding a shellfish, like lobster to your salads can help elevate any salad recipe from a simple snack to a delicious healthy dinner.
Consider the following lobster salad recipes for your next dish. If you’re allergic to shellfish, then substitute lobster with your favorite meat or finned fish alternative.
Chilled Lobster with Orange and Basil Vinaigrette
*Recipe and photo courtesy of Erin Lynch on behalf of the Maine Lobster Marketing Collaborative
Servings: 4
Dressing:
- 1 tablespoon minced shallots
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus additional, to taste, divided
- 1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- pepper, to taste
Ingredients:
- 1 pound cooked Maine Lobster meat, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 head butter lettuce, torn
- 1 ripe avocado, peeled and diced
- 3 radishes, thinly sliced
- kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
To make dressing: In medium bowl, whisk shallots, olive oil, orange juice, lime juice, basil, parsley, salt and Dijon mustard. Season with additional salt and pepper, to taste.
Add lobster to bowl; toss to coat. Chill at least 1 hour, or up to one day.
To serve: Arrange lettuce on serving plate and place lobster on top. Sprinkle with avocado, radishes, kosher salt and ground black pepper.
Traditional Lobster Rolls
*Recipe courtesy of the Maine Lobster Marketing Collaborative. Photo by Jonathan Cooper
Yield: 4 rolls
Ingredients:
- 1 pound cooked Maine lobster meat
- mayonnaise, to taste, for binding
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- salt, to taste
- fresh lemon juice, to taste
- 4 buttered, toasted rolls or preferred bread
-
sliced chives, for garnish
In bowl, combine lobster meat; mayonnaise, to taste; pepper, to taste; salt, to taste; and lemon juice, to taste.
Place 3-4 ounces lobster salad on each roll.
Garnish with chives and serve.
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