Lobster Avocado Tomato Salad Recipe

Whisk dressing

In a small bowl or jar, combine the lemon juice, Dijon mustard, minced shallot and honey. Whisk to combine. Slowly stream in the extra-virgin olive oil while whisking (or add oil to jar and shake vigorously) until emulsified. Season with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper. Taste and adjust: add up to 1/2 tsp more honey if too tart, or a pinch more salt if needed.

Set the vinaigrette aside at room temperature for at least 10 minutes to allow the shallot to mellow and flavors to marry. If not using immediately, refrigerate up to 24 hours and bring back to room temperature before using; re-emulsify by whisking or shaking.

Prepare lobster

If lobster is raw/whole: cook lobsters by simmering or steaming until shells turn bright red and meat is opaque (about 8–12 minutes depending on size). Immediately plunge cooked lobsters into an ice bath to stop cooking. When cool, remove tail and claw meat, discard shells, and roughly chop meat into large bite-size chunks. If you have pre-cooked Keahole lobster meat, ensure it is chilled and roughly chopped into similar bite-size pieces (about 10 oz total).

Combine salad components

In a large mixing bowl, place the torn lettuce, chopped tomatoes and avocado cubes. Gently fold to combine, being careful not to mash avocado. Add the chilled lobster meat to the bowl.

Add pickled jalapeño and seasoning

Sprinkle the minced pickled jalapeño over the salad components for brightness and a touch of heat. Season with 1/2 tsp sea salt and 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper, then gently toss to distribute seasonings and lobster evenly.

Dress the salad

Dress the salad with about 2 to 3 tablespoons of the Lemon Vinaigrette (start with 2 tbs and add more to taste). Gently toss just until components are lightly coated. Taste and adjust seasoning: add more salt, pepper or an additional 1/2 tablespoon of vinaigrette if needed.

Plate and garnish

Divide the salad among two plates (or one large shallow bowl). Top with microgreens or cilantro leaves and an extra few drops of vinaigrette if desired. Garnish with a thin slice of pickled jalapeño on top for presentation.