It’s difficult picturing a summer lunch in Maine without lobster. Maybe it’s a fork full of lobster mac and cheese, or a grilled hotdog bun filled to the brim with lobster meat and a hint of herbed mayonnaise. Perhaps it’s a simple steamed lobster and butter with a cracker and a pick. There are so many delicious ways to eat this Maine staple. A lobster croque monsieur works really well for lunch or dinner.
Something we say all the time at edible MAINE is, “Throw a poached egg on it and call it breakfast!” See instructions at the end of this recipe for creating a croque madame, the breakfast version of this delicacy. Be sure to use a local and high quality butter like Kate’s Homemade Butter when making this dish.
Makes
4 sandwichesIngredients
- 1 lobster 1 to 1½ pounds
- 6 ounces Gruyère cheese
- 8 slices good quality white bread crusts removed
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon chopped chives
- 8 tablespoons 1 stick Kate’s Homemade Butter, softened
- Kosher or sea salt and ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook and cool the lobster, remove the meat, chop into ¼-inch chunks, and place in fridge until assembling croque monsieurs. Slice the Gruyère thinly with a peeler or mandolin. Lay out 4 slices of bread, place a layer of Gruyère on bread, a layer of lobster, lemon zest and chives, another layer of Gruyère, and finish with the remaining 4 slices of bread.
- Preheat a nonstick pan on medium heat. Spread softened butter onto outsides of sandwiches and place in preheated pan. Cook for 2–4 minutes, flip and cook for 1–2 minutes; remove from heat. The bread should be lightly golden brown but not dark. Slice sandwiches into diagonal pieces and serve as is, or top with a poached or fried egg to make a croque madame.
