Tomato-Cucumber Salad
Yield: 10 Portions
Making a great lobster roll is about balance of flavor, texture, and temperature. Our dressing is made with crème fraîche, flavored with tarragon and lemon, which gives the lobster salad a lighter flavor than the traditional mayonnaise dressing. Then we take a split-top hot dog roll, enriched with egg and butter, that is produced at a local bakery in Rhode Island. We toast that bun over low heat, to achieve a crisp, golden brown exterior, while still maintaining a soft interior. We make sure to keep our lobster salad ice cold, and serve it on the warm bun. Lastly, we add a garnish buttermilk-fried onion strings on top for some added crunch.
Your beverage of choice should be as delicate and fresh as the dish itself – but still strong enough to stand up to the robust buttered bun. We like a sancerre, such as Lucien Crochet. This sauvignon blanc is not as fruity as its southern hemisphere counterparts, but instead has a chalky minerality which sets a great stage for the sweet lobster meat. In this case, it should be served as cold as possible on a hot summer day.
Ingredients:
- 6 shallots
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1 1/2 teaspoons honey
- 1 teaspoon mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoon water
- 1 1/2 cups canola oil
- 6 English cucumbers, peeled and diced large
- 2 quarts heirloom cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
- 1 large red onion, sliced thin
- 1 1/2 tablespoons Kalamata olives, chopped
- 1 tablespoon chopped fines herbs (equal parts of parsley, chives, tarragon, and chervil)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Procedure:
- Lightly coat shallots with oil, salt, and pepper, and wrap in foil pouch. Roast in oven at 375°F until very tender. cool, peel and reserve.
- In a blender combine the shallots, mustard, honey, mayonnaise, and the vinegar.
- With the blender on high, very slowly begin streaming in the oil.
- The mixture should slowly become thick, homogeneous, and emulsified.
- Should the mixture become too thick for the blender, you may add the tablespoon of water.
- Season the dressing with salt and pepper to taste.
- Combine the tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, fines herbs, and red onions in a mixing bowl.
- Dress with the shallot vinaigrette as desired. This can be made earlier in the day, and improves as it sits. Be sure to stir and season again as necessary, as the cucumbers release a lot of water.