Celebrating With Lobster

The beginning of summer also marks the start of lobster season for me. I’m not entirely sure why but maybe it was the childhood trips out East to visit our relatives. The journey was always in July and there, we could buy them by the dozen as the fishermen strung their boats on to the docks or freshly steamed from just about anywhere. We would stop at a scenic overlook and eat them cold by primitively smashing onto the shells with found rocks. Ah, memories are made of this, as my grandmother would say.

The warm breezes conjure up ideas of beach lobster boils, where getting messy and eating with your hands is half of the fun. With BBQ and picnic season upon us, either way it’s outdoor food.  Celebration food is meant for sharing. There’s nothing else like it that can bring such relaxed laughter and decadence from one meal.

Surprisingly, lobster also one of those things that I will rarely eat if not just out of it’s shell. By that I mean straight up, no other flavour than butter. It’s almost blasphemy. Up until recently that is. Every so often there’s a good haul or something to tease us lobster lovers and drive the price down making this delicacy become relatively inexpensive. I can’t help finding myself making up an occasion to celebrate. Thankfully in this case there’s July The Fourth (or in my case the First) to bring a gathering and find a way to share.

I was recently contacted byJustin at MarxFoods to try biodegradable palm leaf plates. They’re so strong, they could be reusable. The plates are nothing short of amazing. Made from fallen leaf fronds, they’re washed, soaked in water, then cut, left to air dry in various shapes to get the most of each leaf.
I thought they would be perfect for entertaining outside and serving something a step up from paper plates.
They were beautiful, strong and the talk of the party. Well, almost. Paired with fresh basil and mint to soothe the heat, this crisp Thai salad, along side the fresh, sweet lobster still stole the show.

THAI LOBSTER SALAD
Serves 4

2 Lobsters, 1 1/4- 1 1/2Lbs., steamed
1 Mango, peeled, pit removed and cut into matchsticks
1 Red Bell Pepper, seeded and cut into strips
1/2 English Cucumber, sliced into strips
3 Tablespoons Fish Sauce
3 Tablespoons Sesame Seed Oil
2 Tablespoons Olive or Peanut Oil
1 Lime, freshly squeezed of juice
3 Tablespoons Rice Vinegar
1 teaspoon Chili Sauce (I used Rooster) or 1 thai chili, finely minced
1/3 Cup Mint, finely chopped
1/2 Cup Basil, finely chopped
1/4 Cup Cilantro, torn
2 Scallions, finely chopped
1 Handful of fresh mixed greens per serving, Arugula, Bibb or leaf lettuce etc.

Break open the lobsters and carefully remove the meat.
Slice the tail meat into large bite sized pieces but set aside the claws for garnish.
In a large jar or pourable measuring cup, combine the fish sauce, oils, lime juice, vinegar and chili sauce and stir or shake well.
Combine the mango, peppers, cucumbers, scallions, chopped herbs and lobster into a large bowl.
Pour over the prepared dressing and toss to coat.
Place a handful of salad greens on each plate and top with the dressed vegetables and lobster.
Place one of the reserved claws on top to serve.