Lobster Avocado Salad

Juicy heirloom tomatoes, plump chunks of lobster meat, creamy avocado, tender microgreens, and a simple herb dressing to bring it all together. It pairs perfectly with a hot sunny day (or pretending it’s a hot sunny day) and good company.

SERVES: 4

INGREDIENTS

For the Herb Dressing:

• ⅔ cup mayo
• ¼ cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves
• 2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh tarragon
• 2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh chives
• ½ small shallot, roughly chopped
• ½ lemon, zested and juiced (1 to 2 tablespoons)
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

For the Salad:

• 4 medium heirloom tomatoes, sliced ¼-inch thick
• 1 medium-large avocado, peeled, pitted, and sliced
• 1 lemon, halved
• 2 heads Bibb or Little gem lettuce, leaves separated
• 1 head frisée lettuce or bunch of watercress, leaves separated
• ½ cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves, torn into 1-inch pieces
• ¼ cup loosely packed fresh tarragon leaves
• ¼ cup finely chopped fresh chives
• 1 pound cooked lobster meat from about 2 lobsters, cut in bite-size chunks
• Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
• Flaky salt

METHOD

PREP THE DRESSING:
Using a blender or immersion blender, process the mayo, basil, tarragon, chives, shallot, lemon zest, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, and salt until smooth. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding more salt and/or lemon juice as needed.

PREP THE VEG:
Season both sides of the tomato slices with flaky salt and set aside.
Season the avocado slices with a pinch of flaky salt and a squeeze of lemon juice. Set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the Bibb lettuce, frisée, basil, and tarragon. Add a few tablespoons of dressing plus a few pinches of flaky salt and toss to coat.

ASSEMBLE AND SERVE: Arrange a layer of tomatoes and avocado over a serving platter or individual plates and drizzle them with extra-virgin olive oil, then begin to build the salad. Top the tomatoes with a pile of the lettuce mixture, layer in some of the lobster, more of the tomatoes and avocado, more lettuce, and more lobster. Finish with a sprinkle of chives, freshly grated lemon zest, and another drizzle of olive oil.

Credit line: The Wishbone Kitchen by Meredith Hayden. Photography by Emma Fishman.