01/13/2015

Lobster BLT Redux

Just a couple of weeks ago, I went out for girls’ night with a few of my best girlfriends. We went to Eleven Eleven Mississippi in Lafayette Square which has always been one of my favorite restaurants in St. Louis. I mean their wild boar ravioli definitely is worth making a visit.

While we were at dinner, we all got to talking about how we had been going to Eleven Eleven forever and how we miss some of their old menu. I brought up my favorite menu item ever, the Lobster BLT which they don’t make anymore. I cannot even describe how much I loved this sandwich. It was carefully constructed with a massive amount of lobster, bourbon glazed apples, watercress, and thyme remoulade served on some toasted homemade bread. This sandwich was just the best.

IMG_2634Ever since that night, I’ve been drooling over the thought of this sandwich. So I went ahead and talked myself into making it. I made this my own version and went with honey baked apples instead of bourbon glazed. I also made a few substitutes throughout which you’ll see.

Ingredients (makes 2 sandwiches)

3/4 – 1 lb of lobster

1 large granny smith or golden delicious apple

Arugula

Awesome sandwich bread of your choice

IMG_2610While I loved Eleven Eleven’s Lobster BLT, I wanted to make my own version at home that wasn’t overly complicated and I’d be likely to make again. So I tossed the thyme remoulade because ain’t nobody got thyme for that. Nailed it.

I also prefer arugula to watercress, because the brits call it rocket and I can’t think of a better name for the food my food eats.

OK, let’s dive in.

First, I started with my baked apples. Super easy to make. I just sliced up one large granny smith apple, I would have preferred golden delicious but the shop by my apartment just didn’t have great golden delicious apples, so here we are. I think baked apples are the easiest and most delicious side ever. I spread slices out evenly in a glass baking dish, no idea why I use glass, but my mom always did so that’s what I do.  Sprinkle cinnamon all over the apples, then drizzle honey all over. I like to add in about 1-2 tbsp butter chopped into small bits thrown in all over the dish. Pop it in the oven to bake for about 15 minutes.

IMG_2621While your apples are baking, you’ll have time to deal with your lobster. I live next to two really good grocery stores, so getting decent fresh seafood isn’t that hard. For this sandwich, I just grabbed some cooked, frozen lobster claws from the meat counter. So then all I had to do was thaw them, then crack them open. I just stick the lobster claws in a bowl of water to thaw them and it doesn’t take very long.

Cracking can take a bit of time depending on your skill level. Luckily, I go way back to my childhood days of cracking crab legs competition style at family dinners on vacation in Hilton Head. Note, there was no actual competition, because I’m on a whole different level than everyone else.

IMG_2619So once you have all your lobster meat out, set it in a bowl off to the side. At this point you an season your lobster how you like, I leave mine plain since there is lots going on with my apples. By this time your apples should be done, so take them out of the oven and set aside if you aren’t done with your lobster yet.

Now let’s talk bread. I’ve mentioned before that I can get fresh Companion Bread anytime because I am the luckiest of girls. I know I should be healthy and always pick 100% whole wheat grown in my community garden, gluten-free, free range bread. Sometimes I just can’t, so I buy myself the best Companion Pain Beaucaire (aka white bread). The best way to toast this is slather some butter on it first, so it’s nice and melty for the lobster.

IMG_2630Stick your baked apples on your bottom slice of bread. Then layer on the arugula how you’d like. Now it’s time to really go to town and pile this high with lobster. I like to leave the claw meat looking like a claw for presentation.

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IMG_2646And there you have a lobster BLT (sort of) to impress your most important sandwich eaters.

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