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Buffalo Cauliflower with Chipotle Ranch Dip

Buffalo Cauliflower with Chipotle Ranch Dip

Buffalo Cauliflower with Chipotle Ranch Dip is a terrific appetizer or vegetable side dish to serve to your friends and family. I started to make this dish because cauliflower is one of my kids’ favorite vegetables. My husband is actually not a huge fan of …

Strawberry Filled Ricotta Zeppole

Strawberry Filled Ricotta Zeppole

Strawberry Filled Ricotta Zeppole are little deep fried Italian doughnuts made with ricotta cheese and dusted with powdered sugar. For a summery twist, these zeppole are filled with a sweet strawberry filling. They are quite light and not at all greasy. The Equipment You’ll Need …

Summer Lobster Salad BLT Sandwiches

Summer Lobster Salad BLT Sandwiches

Summer Lobster Salad BLT Sandwiches is my idea of the perfect August lunch. In fact, if I don’t have lobster, in one form or another, at least once a week, it just doesn’t feel like summer to me.

The Equipment You’ll Need

  • A Very Large Pot- You’ll need this to steam your lobsters.
  • Lobster or nut crackers- You’ll need these to crack the lobster shells.

The Ingredients You’ll Need for Summer Lobster Salad BLT Sandwiches

  • Lobsters- You’ll need 4 lobsters, that are each 1 to 1 and a quarter pounds each.
  • Mayonnaise- I like Hellman’s.
  • The Bread- You need a fairly sturdy white bread. I tried making it on toasted brioche, and it was just too soggy. Today I used Pepperidge Farms Sandwich Bread and it held up very well to all the ingredients.
  • The Tomato- Please use the reddest, juiciest tomato you can find.

How I Made this Sandwich

  • First, I steamed the lobsters as soon as I returned home from the market.
  • I saved the shells to make lobster stock.
  • I assembled the salad and let it chill for two hours.
  • Then, I fried the bacon.
  • Finally, I put together the sandwiches and served them right away.

This is such a great sandwich to make for a summer lunch. While I love lobster rolls, I think they get a little boring. These Summer Lobster BLT Sandwiches really take the lobster roll to the next level. Since April, when we started our social distancing, we’ve been celebrating Lobster Tuesday, where we have lobster every Tuesday for lunch. It’s really brightened up what would otherwise be a sort of sad time. Lobster Tuesday is something we look forward to all week.

Lobster is somewhat tricky to cook with, in that, it has a delicate flavor that can easily be overwhelmed. But, I think this sandwich has just enough herbs and vegetables to complement the lobster without overpowering it. So, for a taste of one of the East coast’s favorite summer foods, try this Lobster BLT!

Summer Lobster Salad BLT Sandwiches
Summer Lobster Salad BLT Sandwiches
Summer Lobster Salad BLT Sandwiches

Summer Lobster Salad BLT Sandwiches

Lobster Salad, bacon, lettuce, and tomato piled high on toasted white bread.
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
chilling time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 57 minutes
Course Lunch
Cuisine American
Servings 4

Equipment

  • large lobster pot

Ingredients
  

  • 4 one pound lobsters
  • 1 cup minced celery with leaves
  • 4 tsp. lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp. minced tarragon
  • ½ tsp. black pepper
  • 2 cloves minced garlic
  • ½ cup minced red onion
  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 8 slices bacon
  • 1 large tomato, sliced
  • 4 leaves green leaf lettuce
  • 8 slices white sandwich bread

Instructions
 

  • In a very large pot, bring two inches of water to a boil.
  • Add the lobsters, and hold down the lid to kill them quickly. Steam them for 12 minutes.
  • Remove the lobster meat from the shells and chop it into half inch pieces.
  • In a large bowl, gently mix the lobster with ¾ a cup of the mayonnaise, the celery, lemon juice, garlic, onion , pepper, and tarragon. Chill for a couple of hours.
  • In a cold frying pan, cook the bacon over medium heat.
  • Toast the bread and spread it with the remaining mayonnaise. Top the bottom slices with lettuce, bacon, tomato, and lobster salad, and serve right away.
Keyword blt, Lobster, sandwich
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Strawberry, Mozzarella, and Prosciutto Salad

Strawberry, Mozzarella, and Prosciutto Salad

Strawberry, Mozzarella, and Prosciutto Salad is a quick and easy summer side salad. It’s really important to me to serve a vegetable dish with dinner every night, but I like to keep them relatively quick and easy. This is a very versatile salad, in that …

Poblanos Stuffed with Pulled Pork and Fresh Corn

Poblanos Stuffed with Pulled Pork and Fresh Corn

Fresh Corn and Pulled Pork Stuffed Poblanos is my summer rendition of classic stuffed peppers. I love this dish because it uses the beautiful fresh corn and vine ripe tomatoes, that are overflowing this time of year at my local farm stands. Visiting our many …

Peachy Pork Belly Buns with Sriracha Mayonnaise

Peachy Pork Belly Buns with Sriracha Mayonnaise

Peachy Pork Belly Buns with Sriracha Mayonnaise is my summery twist on the pork belly bao buns that are so popular now on restaurant menus. Besides adding peaches to make the dish feel summery, I also make my own steamed buns. These are not the classic bao buns, but an American rendition, using American bread dough, and then steaming them in a bamboo steamer, in the Asian tradition.

The Equipment You’ll Need

  • A Bamboo Steamer- You’ll need this to steam the buns. I purchased mine at Sur La Table, for less than 30 dollars.
  • An Instant Read Thermometer- I find this essential for checking the temperature of my scalded milk and water for baking.
  • A Food Scale- I find this essential for weighing my flour when baking.

The Ingredients You’ll Need to Make Peachy Pork Belly Buns with Sriracha Mayonnaise

  • The Pork Belly- No other cut of pork will do for this recipe.
  • Chicken Stock- I always use homemade.
  • Ginger- You can use fresh ginger, or a teaspoon of powdered ginger.
  • Yeast- This recipe uses regular active dry yeast, not quick acting.

How I Made This Recipe

  • Since I made my own buns, this was quite a project, but really fun.
  • I started by making my pork belly. It finished before everything else, since we also make a cheesecake today, so I ended up reheating the pork belly right before serving.
  • Next, I tackled the bun dough. It is very easy to make and does not require a mixer. It is also not very messy, as dough goes.
  • As the dough rose, I prepared all the veggies.
  • I also made a cheesecake, and steamed some artichokes.
  • Finally, I rolled out the buns, and steamed them.
  • Last of all, I let everyone stuff their own buns.

These Peachy Pork Belly Buns with Sriracha Mayonnaise were really satisfying to make at home. I feel like restaurants don’t do the greatest job on stuffed buns. For one thing, their stuffed buns are way too salty. And, also, restaurant buns are too meat heavy. Let’s face it, pork belly is really fatty, so I only want a small bite of it in each bun. And, lastly, when I eat a restaurant bun, I always wish there were more vegetables inside. So, I hope you’ll try my vegetable filled, not too salty, peachy buns. They’re a treat for the whole family.

Peachy Pork Belly Buns with Sriracha Mayonnaise
Peachy Pork Belly Buns with Sriracha Mayonnaise
Peachy Pork Belly Buns with Sriracha Mayonnaise

Peachy Pork Belly Buns with Sriracha Mayonnaise

Steamed buns stuffed with crispy pork belly, peaches, cucumber salad, and topped with sriracha mayonnaise.
Prep Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American, Chinese
Servings 4

Equipment

  • bamboo steamer
  • Dutch oven
  • Parchment Paper

Ingredients
  

To assemble the dish:

  • 12 steamed buns
  • braised pork belly
  • cucumber salad
  • sriracha mayonnaise
  • 2 julienned peaches
  • 1 cup chopped cilantro
  • 1 cup thinly sliced red onion

For the Steamed Buns:

  • 1 tsp. active dry yeast
  • 1 tbsp. sugar
  • ¾ cup whole milk
  • 1½ tsp. salt
  • 2 tbsp. melted butter
  • 2½ cups all purpose flour (300g)
  • 2 tbsp. vegetable oil
  • 6 leaves of lettuce

For the Braised Pork Belly:

  • 24 ounces skinless pork belly, cut into 12 one inch wide slices
  • 1 tbsp. vegetable oil
  • 2 tbsp. brown sugar
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 1 tbsp. sliced ginger
  • ½ tsp. fennel seeds
  • 1 tbsp. Mirin
  • 2 tbsp. light soy sauce
  • 1½ cups chicken stock

For the Cucumber Salad:

  • ¼ cup rice wine vinegar
  • 1 tbsp. sugar
  • 1 large sliced cucumbers

For the Sriracha Mayonnaise:

  • ½ cup mayonnaise
  • 2 tsp. sriracha

Instructions
 

For the Steamed Buns:

  • In a small saucepan, heat ¾ cups of milk until it starts to bubble and then immediately remove it from the heat and let it's temperature drop down to 105°.
  • In a large mixing bowl, stir together the yeast, half the sugar, and a quarter of a cup of 100 degree water. Let this sit 5 minutes.
  • When the milk reaches 105 degrees, add it to the mixing bowl with the rest of the sugar, the salt, and the butter. Stir for one minute.
  • Stir in ¾ cup flour (90g) and stir for one minute.
  • Add another ¾ cup of flour and stir for one minute.
  • Slowly add 1 more cup of flour (120g) and stir for one minute.
  • Knead 10 minutes on a well floured board.
  • Oil a large clean bowl and let the dough rise, covered with plastic wrap, in a warm place for one hour.
  • Shape the dough into a 12 inch snake and cut into 12 pieces. Roll each piece into a ball and place on a floured parchment paper lined baking sheet. Put it in a warm place, cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise for 30 minutes.
  • Cut 12 3 by 6 inch pieces of parchment paper. Heat a bamboo steamer over a Dutch oven with 2 inches of simmering water.
  • On a floured board, roll each dough ball into a 6 inch long oval. Using a pastry brush , paint the dough top with oil, and then place it on a piece of parchment paper, and fold it gently in half.
  • In several batches, steam the buns on lettuce leaves for 20 minutes, or until puffy and cooked through.

For the Braised Pork Belly:

  • In a 6 quart saucepan, half full with boiling water, simmer the pork for 10 minutes. Drain well.
  • In a Dutch oven, on low heat, in the oil, cook the sugar, garlic, ginger, fennel, mirin and soy sauce until the sugar is dissolved. Add the pork and chicken broth and simmer covered for 2 hours. Then, remove the cover, and simmer for 30 minutes, until the sauce is thick and glossy.
  • For the Cucumber Salad:
  • Mix all the ingredients together.
  • For the Sriracha Mayonnaise:
  • Mix all the ingredients together.

To assemble the Peach and Pork Belly Steamed Buns:

  • Put one slice of pork belly in each bun, and top with some peaches, onion, cilantro, cucumber salad, and sriracha mayonnaise.
Keyword buns, peaches, pork belly
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Butter Pecan Peach Cobbler with Ice Cream

Butter Pecan Peach Cobbler with Ice Cream

Butter Pecan Peach Cobbler with Ice Cream is composed of brown sugar peaches topped with butter pecan biscuits and butter pecan ice cream. In my mind, it is the ultimate summer dessert, to celebrate the summer peach harvest. The Equipment You’ll Need An Ice Cream …

Three Cheese Stuffed Eggplant Rollatini

Three Cheese Stuffed Eggplant Rollatini

Three Cheese Stuffed Eggplant Rollatini is one of my family’s favorite recipes, that I have been making frequently over the last 20 years. It is also a dish that I often order at Italian restaurants, but never enjoy as much as the following recipe, that …

Fettuccini with Lobster, Tomato, and Basil

Fettuccini with Lobster, Tomato, and Basil

Fettuccini with Lobster, Tomato, and Basil is a quick and easy meal that takes less than an hour from start to finish. Growing up on the Jersey shore, summer doesn’t seem quite summer, unless lobster is served at least once a week. Since April, we’ve been having lobster for lunch once a week, usually in the form of a Connecticut Lobster Roll. That’s lobster in a hot dog bun, topped with just butter. But, today, we decided to have this delicious lobster pasta dish instead.

The Equipment You’ll Need

  • A very large pot- You’ll need this to steam your lobsters. If you don’t have a very large pot, just steam the lobsters, one after another.
  • A pasta pot with a strainer- This is not essential, but comes in handy.
  • A large skillet- You’ll need this to toss the pasta, and coat it with the sauce. If you don’t have one, just toss the pasta in a Dutch oven or large pot.

The Ingredients You’ll Need to Make Fettuccini with Lobster, Tomato, and Basil

  • The lobsters- Try and buy lobsters that look perky, and not ones that just lie there looking sleepy. Try and cook them as soon as you bring them home.
  • The fettuccini- I strongly recommend DeCecco Egg Fettuccini, since it takes the most like homemade.
  • The garlic- Look for garlic with out green shoots in the middle.

How I Made It

  • First, I cooked my lobsters early in the day, right after I bought them. I took the meat out of the shells, too.
  • Next, I boiled my pasta water, and made a side salad. And, I chopped the tomatoes, garlic, and basil.
  • Then, as the pasta cooked for 5 minutes, I melted the butter and cooked the garlic.
  • Finally, I drained the pasta, and tossed everything together.
  • I served this pasta with a simple salad with blue cheese dressing.

This would be a fantastic dish to serve to lobster loving guests. To serve it to my children, I made a plain skillet-full with just pasta, butter, and lobster. Everyone loved it! If you’re trying to save money, try and make this when lobster goes on sale at the supermarket, and only make one or two lobsters, instead of 4. Just cut the lobster meat in smaller pieces, and everyone will still feel as though they’ve had a luxurious meal. I hope you’ll try this quick, decadent, lobster-filled dinner some time this summer, so that you too, can enjoy my favorite summer food!

Fettuccini with lobster, tomato, and basil
Fettuccini with Lobster, Tomato, and Basil
Fettuccini with lobster, tomato, and basil

Fettuccini with Lobster, Tomato, and Basil

Steamed lobster tossed with fettuccini, tomatoes, and basil, in a garlic butter sauce.
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Servings 4
Calories 375 kcal

Equipment

  • very large stock pot, or two smaller pots

Ingredients
  

  • 4 one pound lobsters
  • ½ pound DeCecco egg fettuccini
  • 6 tbsp. butter
  • 3 cloves minced garlic
  • 2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
  • ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
  • ¼ tsp. kosher salt
  • ¼ cup chopped basil
  • ½ cup shaved Parmesan

Instructions
 

  • Bring 2 inches of water to a boil, in a very large pot.
  • Add the lobsters, and hold down the lid to kill the lobsters quickly. Steam them for 12 minutes.
  • Remove the lobster meat from the shells and chop it into one inch pieces.
  • Bring a large pot of water to a boil, for the pasta. Cook the pasta until al dente and then drain well.
  • As the pasta cooks, melt the butter in a large skillet, and add the garlic, on low heat.
  • Cook for a minute, and then add the tomatoes, red pepper flakes, and lobster.
  • Cook for another minute, and then add the drained pasta. Take the pan off the heat and toss everything together. Put in a serving bowl and top with the basil and cheese.

Nutrition

Calories: 375kcal
Keyword basil, fettuccini, Lobster, tomtoes
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Mile-High Buffalo Chicken Nachos

Mile-High Buffalo Chicken Nachos

Mile-High Buffalo Chicken Nachos is the perfect dish for an at home gastro pub night. Chill your favorite beers, or sodas, and get ready for a fun and delicious night in the comfort of your own home. I love to serve these nachos in individual …