Mouth-watering mini lobster rolls

Chef Chris King reveals one of his favourite dishes

Everyone loves canapés. Decadent, glamorous and a bite sized snippet of perfection, they are the must-have finishing touch to a drinks party. For the head chef of Roux at the Landau, Chris King, this twist on a classic canapé is unbeatable.

Mini lobster rolls with a native New England flavour always go down a treat in his top London restaurant, and he says that there is something that is "wonderfully indulgent about putting lobster in hot dog bun." Read on to find out how you too can whip up this sophisticated snack and you'll be impressing your guests in no time!

Ingredients (Serves 6)

6 finger rolls or hot dog buns

100 grams unsalted farmhouse butter

2 lightly poached Scottish lobsters, shelled (1 ¼ pounds weight)

½ red onion, finely diced

1 stick celery, peeled and finely diced

1 tbsp cornichons, diced

½ tbsp dill leaves

2 tbsp homemade mayonnaise

1 tbsp ketchup

A few drops Tabasco

1/2 Lemon, juiced

½ tsp Old Bay seasoning, or cayenne if unavailable

Method

Step 1: First make the dressing by mixing the mayonnaise, ketchup, Tabasco and lemon juice. It should be nice and tart with a hint of spice and a gentle sweetness to complement the lobster.

Step 2: Next dice the lobster knuckles, tails and arms into nice chunky, generous pieces. Gently coat the lobster with the dressing and season with the dill. Rinse the red onion dice under cool running water to remove a little of their pungency. Fold the diced onion, celery and cornichons into the lobster mix and taste for seasoning.

Step 3: Warm the butter gently just until it splits into golden clarified butter with the buttermilk underneath. Discard the buttermilk, warm the buns and brush them generously with the clarified butter.

Step 4: Spoon plenty of the lobster mix into the buttered buns and sprinkle each with a little of the Old Bay or cayenne pepper. Enjoy the lobster rolls as soon as possible – perfect on a summer evening with a glass of champagne!

Chris King's Killer Tips

Lobster is at its best in the summer months, and at the restaurant we use beautiful dark blue Native lobsters from Cornwall. They should always be lightly cooked, or they become chewy. If your lobsters are alive then bring a large pan of water to the boil, salting the water very well, and plunge the lobsters in the water for 8 minutes. Remove the lobsters and leave to cool on a tray then crack the shells to remove the precious meat.

Old Bay is an American seafood seasoning from Maryland and is a mix of different spices mainly chilli, mustard, bay and celery seed – perfect with lobster if you can find it.

Tags: food month, recipe