Lobster

Smoky paella is perfect for a crowd. This recipe for six is designed for cooking on a charcoal grill—though a gas grill works in a pinch.

I first sampled a version of this light and lively salad as a meal at chef Yves Camdeborde's Le Comptoir in Paris's 6th arrondissement. Yves and I participated in the New York marathon in 2006, and I am sure that the strength gained from this protein-rich salad helped me make it to the finish line! This dish has it all: color (the red bits are lobster roe), crunch, and a light touch imparted by a dressing of yogurt and mustard.

The dish was the Queen Mother's favorite and one we always put on the menu when she came to stay. It was also served at the wedding breakfast of Princess Anne and Captain Mark Phillips in 1973.

This dish tastes like an entire New England clambake all folded into a luxurious frittata. Budget enough time to bake the potato and to steam the lobster. Though this is a little more work than most brunch dishes, it’s worth the extra time when you really want to pamper some guests, and yourself. Serve with Spicy Zucchini with Mint (page 218).

This is probably the most requested dish at my restaurant, davidburke & donatella. You can, of course, adjust the heat in this dish to your own palate. I really like it to have a powerful note. It is another terrific dish for entertaining as the rice, basil, and tomatoes can all be made in advance. The rice can be kept warm over hot water or it can be reheated in a microwave. The lobster can be cut up in advance, and then all that is left to do is to put it all together, which should take no more than twenty minutes.

After a few summer trips to Maine in search of the perfect lobster roll, I've become a purist of sorts. My favorite roll comes from a place in Cape Porpoise that uses only fresh lobster meat and Hellmann's mayonnaise. So that's how I make my lobster salad. Except I use frozen lobster meat and add a little diced yellow pepper for some crunch and color. Oh, and I add salt and pepper. I guess my lobster salad isn't quite like theirs after all.
You can make the lobster salad earlier in the day and keep it covered in the refrigerator. And you might as well slice the cukes while you're at it and keep them in the fridge separately. Assemble just before your guests arrive.

Not in the mood for bread? No problem. This no-mayo lobster mixture would also make an ideal centerpiece in a summer salad.

This one-pot meal—lobster, corn, and green beans—conjures summer in New England. The simple sesame mayonnaise is outstanding for dunking and slathering.

Editor's note: This refreshing soup is part of a healthy and delicious spa menu developed exclusively for Epicurious by CuisinArt Resort & Spa on Rendezvous Bay in Anguilla. Cooling cucumber and melons—which are in the same botanical family—are good sources of a wide range of nutrients, including vitamins C and B6 and folate. Fresh herbs provide a burst of flavor as well as powerful antioxidants. Ginger, garlic, and hot sauce have potent anti-inflammatory properties. Starting your meal with a low-calorie, fiber-rich soup like this one can help fill you up and prevent overeating. Note: You can substitute cooked lobster or prawns for the shrimp, or make the recipe vegetarian by omitting the seafood altogether.

This nontraditional spin-off of an old-fashioned favorite makes a fun dinner-party appetizer plate or main course for more intimate gatherings.

While reminiscent of a marinara sauce, red bell pepper, cognac, and jalapeño add hints of newness to this luscious, traditional favorite lobster dish.

Neal Fraser, Executive Chef and co-owner of Grace and BLD in Los Angeles, shared the recipe for this elegant pasta dish with Epicurious: Fresh pasta shells are tossed with lobster, peas, rich Mascarpone cheese, and fresh herbs. It's one of the best-selling dishes at Grace. It's best to use fresh or thawed, frozen cavatelli, which the sauce will really cling to, but other fresh pasta shells or, in a pinch, dried pasta could be substituted.

Coconut milk adds surprising body and richness to the mint-lime mixture. If desired, reserve the lobster shells for stock.

Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text are from Brooke Dojny's book The New England Clam Shack Cookbook, 2nd Edition. At Shaw's [Fish and Lobster Wharf], their lobster pot pie is something like a lobster gratin — a rich and luxurious dish in itself — made more so with its buttery crumb topping. Because it can be made ahead and reheated just before serving, this lobster pot pie makes an ideal meal for a special dinner party.

This is the recipe I used in the Barbecue Championship Series to get my team to the semifinals. The lime and chili go very well with the lobster for something a little different.

When cooking shrimp in boiling water, 2 minutes does the job. Overcooking toughens them.

There's enough garlic butter here to drench every morsel of lobster meat—you'll want to serve crusty bread on the side to soak it all up.

You could hardly do better in summer than to combine shellfish and tomatoes—their balance of sweet and savory seems to bring out the best in both. Here, the seafood retains its succulence, while its juices combine with the vinaigrette; you'll want to sop up the excess with bread, or at least eat it with a spoon.