Some people associate Maine lobster with summer and never think of eating it any other time. Oh, what they’re missing! The fact is that fall is possibly the best time to enjoy lobster. The landings are higher and the prices are very reasonable, making it an ideal time to experiment with different recipes. Here are our suggestions for five delicious lobster recipes for the adventurous cook.
Lobster Mac and Cheese
Put together two of the most universally loved foods — mac and cheese and lobster — and you have the most popular dish at the party. The key to this New England classic is the combination of three cheeses: Gruyere, Romano and cheddar. For a recipe that blows away the competition (and beat out Bobby Flay’s version in a 2010 episode of Throwdown!) try this one from the publishers of Yankee magazine.
Lobster Bisque
If you can’t get enough of the rich, velvety tang of lobster bisque when you come to Maine, here is one of the most uncomplicated recipes to make yourself (and seriously cheaper by the bowl!).
For this recipe, there’s no need to go the complex Julia Child route. The key to its rich, smooth flavor is using the lobster shells to make the stock, along with fresh cream and sherry. This recipe from Fine Cooking takes out most of the fuss and delivers the classic taste.
Lobster Pizza
We tip our hat to one of the best local pizzerias around, Rotary Pizza in Rockland, Maine, for their wonderful, seasonal Lobster Fra Diavolo pizza. Rotary’s gourmet pie starts with a from-scratch, hand-thrown crust, along with the freshest ingredients, including locally caught lobster and a spicy tomato seafood sauce. Now, of course Rotary isn’t giving away all its secrets, so to make it yourself with picked lobster claws as the topping, try this recipe from Cooking Channel.
Lobster Pasta
Every year, chefs around the country compete to create new lobster pasta recipes that they hope will make Mainers proud of their state’s most popular crustacean. The pros at Food & Wine Magazine picked one of the best: Lobster Pappardelle with Chive Butter.
Lobster Salad
As a change from of these rich and caloric recipes, we now turn to lighter fare, featuring fresh Maine lobster in a salad — and not a mayonnaise-slathered one either. This Chilled Maine Lobster Salad with Basil Vinaigrette recipe was created by Susan Roxby, Old Town, Maine, and comes to us via the Maine Lobster Marketing Collaborative.
And if that’s not enough, read our previous blog post for five ways to make lobster rolls.
No one knows more about enjoying Maine Lobster than the Maine Lobster Festival, held in Rockland, Maine, every August. To stay up to date on next year’s event, follow us on Facebook or Twitter.
