The Lobster Rolls of Montauk

Montauk, NY much like Maine and other parts of New England, is known for its lobster roll. Ok, well maybe it's not "officially" known for this delicacy, but since it is the closest place to D.C. that I can get a lobster roll, it is "known" in my book. For my husband and I, there is no questioning that we will get at least one on our annual vacation to Montauk, but it wasn't until recently that we added the question, "Where?" Up until this year, it was a no brainer: Gosman's Dock - a landing for a few restaurants, a clam bar, gourmet food market and clothing stores. (I am intentionally not including the more well-known The Lobster Roll - aka Lunch - because it is technically in Amagansett and for which we would have battle traffic and that doesn't make for a fun vacation at all.) However, this summer, we discovered Duryea's - a lobster deck great for watching the Montauk sunset and a seafood market. Compared to each other, the rolls have their pros and cons. As for me, the jury is still out. I'm just happy to be eating lobster.

Gosman's Dock

Lobster Roll: $16.95

Gosman's lobster roll includes two scoops of finely shredded lobster with the occasional larger chunk of lobster meat, tossed lightly with mayonnaise, and seasoned nicely with salt, pepper and celery on a traditional hot dog bun. Served with fries.

Duryea's

Lobster Roll: $18.25

Duryea's lobster roll is larger than Gosman's and has bigger chunks of lobster meat giving it a richer flavor, but it also employs more mayonnaise to keep the whole thing together. Also mixed in with celery bits, it takes on a resemblance of a traditional lobster salad. Duryea's breaks with tradition, however, on the bun, opting for a sesame seed roll instead. Served with chips and cole slaw.

The bottom line is, I don't think you can go wrong with either lobster roll. In both cases, the lobster is fresh out of the water. Pair with a fresh lemonade or a nice white wine, a sunny day or a beautiful sunset.

From the Market Part 2 - Salmon in Lemon Brodetto with Pea Puree

The Internet is truly an amazing thing. Scratch that, Google is truly an amazing thing. I had some freshly shelled peas from the farmer's market that were close to reaching their three day limit. My husband and I were in the mood for salmon. A quandary on how to combine the two + Google = one delicious meal.

Salmon in Lemon Brodetto with Pea Puree courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis and the foodnetwork.com. A modern take on a traditional fish stew, this was probably one of the prettier meals I've put together; I'm afraid the picture doesn't quite do it justice. It was a great mix of textures with the crisp lemon broth with sauteed shallots, smooth pea puree mixed with parmesan, and the golden crusted fillet. The tangy lemon, savory peas and sweet salmon lends flavor for any mood, too.

Enjoy!

Foil-Baked Salmon with Corn and Lime

This was one of the first recipes I made when I moved to Washington, DC and started living on my own. At the time, I was cooking for one, and this was the perfect home cooked meal. I made this the other night, after deciding that I needed another preparation for salmon, and doubled the recipe. With very little work, you wind up with a beautiful and very tasty dinner.

Foil-Baked Salmon with Corn and Lime
(from Williams-Sonoma Cooking for Yourself)

This recipe serves one, but is easily doubled.


3/4 cup corn kernels
1/4 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into small, neat dice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 jalapeno chile, seeded and minced, or more to taste
salt and ground pepper to taste
2 teaspoons unsalted butter, cut into bits
1 lime wedge, plus 3 thin lime slices
1 skinless salmon fillet (1/2 lb)

• Preheat an oven to 450 degrees F.
• Put the corn kernels in a bowl. Add the bell pepper, cilantro, chile, salt, and pepper, and mix well.
• Put a 12 x 18-inch sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil on a work surface. Top with the corn mixture and dot with 1 teaspoon of the butter. Squeeze lime wedge over the salmon fillet, then season with salt and pepper. Place the salmon on top of the corn mixture. Top with lime slices and dot with the remaining 1 teaspoon butter.
• Bring the long edges of the foil together and fold over to form a tight seal. Fold and seal the ends as well. Bake until the salmon is opaque throughout and just flakes with a fork, 15-20 minutes. The timing will depend on the thickness of the fillet.
• Transfer the packet to a heatproof work surface. Open the foil carefully at the ends first, allowing hot steam to escape, then unwrap the top. Transfer to a warmed dinner plate.
  

Enjoy!