Dr. Klaw's Famous Underground Lobster Roll

Photo: Ben Sargent

From: Chef Ben Sargent, NYC, host of the Cooking Channel’s Hook, Line & Dinner. This recipe was featured during the 2013 Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival. For details about the 2014 Festival, October16-19, visit www.nycwff.org.

Yield: 4 lobster rolls

3 Tbsp. coarse sea salt
1 Tbsp. whole black peppercorns
1 tsp. seafood seasoning such as Old Bay
½ yellow onion
4 lobsters, 1 to 1½ lb. each
1 Tbsp. mayonnaise
1 stick salted butter
splash of crisp white wine
2 cloves garlic, smashed
4 top-loading hot dog buns

Fill a stockpot with 1 to 2 inches of water and set over medium-high heat. Add sea salt, peppercorns, seafood seasoning and onion. Once the water is boiling, add lobsters. Cover the pot and steam lobster for 8 to 10 minutes. When finished, remove lobsters and run under a blast of cold water.

Carefully remove meat from the shell, saving the juices, and coarsely cut into large chunks (usually, the meat from 1 lobster is good for 1 roll). Mix lobster juices with mayonnaise (it should have a wet, thin consistency) and lightly toss.

In small saucepan over medium heat, melt butter along with a splash of crisp white wine and the garlic.

Heat a large, flat grill pan or skillet over medium heat. Open the buns, brush butter mixture on insides and toast the buns buttered-side down until they are golden brown, about 1 minute.

Place lobster meat on foil and gently heat on grill as buns are toasting. Evenly divide lobster meat among the rolls, brush the meat with some butter mixture and serve in paper boats.