Lobster & Tomato Salad Recipe

Prepare lobster

If using chilled cooked lobster, remove any cartilage and excess membrane. Roughly chop meat into bite-sized pieces. Place chopped lobster in a bowl, toss with 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1 teaspoon fine sea salt and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Let sit at room temperature while you prepare other components (5–10 minutes) so flavors marry.

Keep stracciatella chilled until assembly. Just before plating, gently loosen stracciatella with a fork to make it creamy and pillowy — do not overmix to maintain texture.

Wash and dry heirloom tomatoes and arugula thoroughly. Cut tomatoes into 1-inch wedges or irregular pieces to showcase color and texture. Dice or ball the melon into approximately 1/2-inch pieces. Place tomatoes and melon in a large mixing bowl and lightly season with a pinch of salt to draw out aromas.

Make white balsamic dressing

In a small bowl or jar, combine 2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon honey and 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard. Whisk to combine, then slowly drizzle in 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil while whisking to emulsify. Season with 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Taste and adjust acidity or sweetness as needed.

Reserve about 1 tablespoon of dressing to dress the lobster separately if desired.

Toast hazelnuts: preheat a small skillet over medium heat. Add hazelnuts and toast, shaking the pan frequently, until fragrant and lightly browned, about 4–6 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board, let cool slightly, and roughly chop. If skins remain, rub in a towel to remove some skin — it's fine if some skin stays.

Finishing touch: zest one lemon finely and chiffonade the basil leaves.

Toss tomatoes and melon with about two-thirds of the dressing to lightly coat (reserve the rest to dress the cheese/lobster and plate). If using arugula as a base, lightly dress it with a tablespoon of the dressing and arrange on four small plates.

Divide dressed tomatoes and melon among the plates on top of the arugula (if using). Gently mound equal portions of the tossed lobster next to or atop the tomatoes on each plate (approximately 3 oz lobster per serving). Drizzle a little reserved dressing over the lobster.

Spoon generous pieces of stracciatella onto each plate beside the lobster and tomatoes (about 1.5 oz per serving). Break the stracciatella gently so cream flows over the salad.

Scatter toasted hazelnuts over each plate for crunch. Sprinkle lemon zest and torn or chiffonade basil over the salad. Finish with a light dusting of flaky sea salt and a small crack of black pepper. If desired, finish with a tiny drizzle (about 1/2 tsp) of high-quality extra-virgin olive oil.

Serve immediately so the stracciatella remains creamy and the textures contrast — cool lobster and cheese with juicy tomatoes/melon and crunchy hazelnuts.