Rich Little Po’-Boy
This menu brightens the senses and pleases the palate. A lobster roll, filled with associations of summer, flecked with capers and seasoned with lemon juice, does the trick.
Serve it with oven-roasted sweet potato wedges, which are easier than they sound: Slice a potato and roast it while you prepare the rest of dinner. A salad of sliced cucumbers, tomatoes and red onion comes together easily. A cold white wine or crisp beer rounds things out nicely.
Lobster Rolls
Active Work and Total Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Lobster motif apron from Bristol Kitchen stores.
6 ounces cooked lobster meat, about 2 large tails, coarsely chopped, about 1 1/4 cups
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon capers, drained
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
Freshly ground pepper
2 crusty rolls
Tender lettuce leaves
Gently mix the lobster meat, lemon juice and mayonnaise in a bowl. Fold in the capers, celery and pepper to taste.
Heat the rolls in the oven with the potatoes until warmed through, 3 to 5 minutes.
Cut each roll in half and spoon the lobster salad between the warm halves and add a few leaves lettuce to each.
2 main-course servings. Each serving: 491 calories; 1,150 mg sodium; 66 mg cholesterol; 14 grams fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 64 grams carbohydrates; 27 grams protein; 4.12 grams fiber.
Roasted Sweet Potato Wedges
Active Work and Total Preparation Time: 20 minutes
1 medium-large sweet potato
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
Heat oven to 425 degrees.
Cut the potato in half lengthwise, then cut each half into 7 long, thin wedges. Place them on a rimmed baking sheet and toss them with the oil and salt and pepper to taste, so all sides are coated.
Bake 10 minutes. Flip the potatoes over and bake another until tender, another 8 to 10 minutes. Serve hot.
2 servings. Each serving: 126 calories; 152 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 7 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 16 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram protein; 2.25 grams fiber.
GAME PLAN
30 minutes before: Heat oven and prepare potato wedges.
20 minutes before: Roast potatoes.
15 minutes before: Prepare lobster and salad.
Just before serving: Heat rolls and fix sandwiches.
SHOPPING LIST
Celery
Cooked lobster meat
Cucumber
Lettuce
Rolls
Sweet potato
Tomato
STAPLES
Capers
Lemon
Mayonnaise
Mustard
Olive oil
Red onion
Mustard
Red wine vinegar
MENU
Lobster Rolls
Roasted Sweet Potato Wedges
Salad of Cucumbers, Tomatoes and Red Onion Slivers