Lobster

A zesty lobster salad instantly turns avocado toast into an elegant and cocktail party–worthy hors d'oeuvre.

With a mega-flame and a gargantuan pot, you can cook an ocean's worth of seafood in a fraction of the time it would take on the stovetop—without stepping foot in a steamy kitchen.

Splitting lobsters in half makes them easier to grill—and eat.

Nilou Motamed, Epicurious Editor-in-Chief, swears by this herb-infused lobster roll recipe inspired by her father-in-law Michael DePorte. When available, Nilou prefers soft-shell lobsters, or “shedders”, for their easy-to-crack shells (no tools required!) and sweet, tender meat. If you choose soft-shell lobsters, reduce the cooking time by 2 to 3 minutes. She also prefers filtered seawater as a cooking liquid, so if your fishmonger has it available, give it a try! Boiling lobsters in well-salted water is the next best thing.

With store-bought cooked lobster (or shrimp if that’s more your speed) this luxe, buttery pasta comes together at lightning speed.

You can infuse your shellfish with smoky flavor (and keep the smells out of the house) by throwing it on the grill. The lobster, shrimp and clams here are meant to be cooked at the same time and served with three sauces for mixing and matching. If you make the sauces in advance, the mixed grill comes together in less than a half hour. For a simpler dinner, you can absolutely make one type of seafood and one of the sauces; just make sure to increase the quantities as needed.

Overcooked lobsters will be tough and rubbery; if yours are less than 1 1/2 pounds each, decrease the cooking time by a few minutes.

This curry is doubly rich from the coconut milk and the deep red curry, but the pineapple keeps it from being too heavy and gives a beautiful freshness to the dish. I like to cook the lobster in the shell because it makes for a more flavorful sauce, and I like to serve it that way too. You can be as refined as you like or, like me, pick up the shell and make an animal of yourself. If lobster is going to blow the budget, you can still have a delicious curry by substituting shrimp or monkfish.

This is a winning-contestant recipe from Season Four of Fox's MasterChef.

Two tips: To save time, you can buy 2 steamed whole lobsters or 2 cups of cooked lobster meat. And, when prepping the corn, save your cobs for corn stock.

Warm, toasty, buttered rolls are key. If you can't find New England-style buns, trim 1/4" from both sides of standard hot dog buns to remove the crust and expose more surface area.

The subtle seasonings in this simple stew won't overwhelm the delicate lobster meat.

Here’s a restaurant-quality sauce that is rich and luxurious but easy enough to make at home. Professional cook and Epicurious member Thomas Campbell of New London, Connecticut, invented it, and his favorite part of the recipe is the bacon-flavored liquid; it adds a slightly sweet but smoky flavor to the sauce, and tastes even better after the flavors have time to mingle.

This is the kind of over-the-top meal guests will talk about for days afterward, and it's actually much easier to prepare than it might seem. Lobster, ground pork, and a host of Asian condiments create a riot of complementary flavors.

Trust us: No one will complain if you double the shrimp and omit the lobster in this tart and beachy seafood salad. Just be sure to sear the shrimp quickly on a hot grill: The char plays nicely with lime juice.

Alain Ducasse— The lobster must of course be alive, its claws firmly closed with elastic bands. After plunging it in boiling water, keep the lid on the cooking pot to avoid splashes.
Paule Neyrat— The flesh of the lobster is particularly low in fat but rich in protein. The vegetables are low in calories but full of vitamins and dressed with a yogurt sauce. This is a luxury dish but one that's really low in fat.

This is a decadent dish that is very popular with my family at Christmas-time, when pasta with seafood is a holiday tradition for Italians. For others, though, it’s a reminder of summers on the Cape or in the Hamptons. Whatever memories it may conjure for you, we can all probably agree that it is a rich, sophisticated dish that puts a smile on the face of anyone who tastes it.

One of the best lunches I’ve ever had was at the centuries-old Waterside Inn, a Michelin three-star restaurant situated on the banks of the River Thames in Bray, England, and owned by the renowned Roux brothers. Dressed in formal attire, as I was attending the Royal Ascot horse races nearby, I sat down to an unforgettable salad of briny Brittany lobster, rich avocado, tender mâche, sweet mango, and earthy fresh black truffles, all washed down with vintage Krug rosé champagne. I’ve recreated that memorable combination on many festive occasions and took it as inspiration for these most elegant tacos.