Ina Garten Lobster Salad in Endive

Ina Garten lobster salad in endive is a creamy, crunchy party appetizer with fresh lobster meat, celery and dill that comes together in 20 minutes. Try this easy summer appetizer for New Year's Eve or cocktail parties, since it needs no cooking and one small batch easily fills 24 crisp leaves.

Dice the lobster, celery and capers small, so every endive leaf holds a bit of each in one bite. Cut them big and the salad slides off the leaf and falls apart in your hand.

Ina Garten suggests buying cooked lobster meat from your fish store instead of boiling lobsters yourself, which saves time and mess on party day. She also points out that a little salad stretches into a lot of appetizers, and that shrimp or crabmeat works well when lobster is too pricey.

Source: The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook (1999)

Ina Garten Lobster Salad in Endive

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Course: AppetizerCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

6

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking timeminutes

Calories

150

kcal

Chunks of sweet lobster tossed in a light mayonnaise dressing with celery, capers and dill sit in crisp, slightly bitter endive leaves. You spoon and serve, so nothing gets cooked at the last minute.

Ingredients

• 3/4 pound fresh cooked lobster meat, small-diced
  

• 1/2 cup good mayonnaise
  

• 1/2 cup small-diced celery (1 stalk)
  

• 1 tablespoon capers, drained
  

• 1 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh dill
  

• pinch kosher salt
  

• pinch freshly ground black pepper
  

• 4 heads Belgian endive
  

Directions

• Mix the salad: Combine 3/4 pound small-diced cooked lobster meat, 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1/2 cup small-diced celery, 1 tablespoon drained capers and 1 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh dill in a bowl. Add a pinch of kosher salt and a pinch of black pepper, then stir until everything is evenly coated.
• Separate the endive: Cut the base off 4 heads of Belgian endive with a sharp knife. Then pull the leaves apart and set aside the 24 best ones.
• Fill the leaves: Use a teaspoon to fill the wide end of each endive leaf with lobster salad. Then arrange the leaves on a platter and serve right away.

Tools for this recipe

• Victorinox Fibrox 8-inch chef's knife, Pyrex 3-piece glass mixing bowl set, Hellmann's real mayonnaise, 30 oz. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can I use shrimp or crabmeat instead of lobster?

Yes, cooked shrimp or crabmeat works well and costs less than lobster. Dice shrimp small so it stays in the leaf, and pick through crabmeat for any bits of shell.

How do I cook lobsters if I can't buy the meat already cooked?

Lower the lobsters into a big pot of boiling water, put the lid on and let the water return to a boil, then time 10 minutes. Cool them before pulling the meat from the shell, and count on three 1 1/4-pound lobsters to give you about 3/4 pound of meat.

Can I make lobster salad in endive ahead of time?

You can mix the lobster salad a few hours ahead and keep it covered in the fridge. Fill the endive leaves just before serving, since the salad can make the leaves wet if it sits too long.

What can I use if I don't have Belgian endive?

Small romaine hearts or cucumber rounds work as a base for the salad. They give you a similar crunch, though endive adds a slightly bitter note that balances the creamy lobster.

What is the most common mistake with this appetizer?

Cutting the lobster and celery too big is the usual problem, because the filling won't stay in the leaf. Dice everything small and the salad holds together, so each bite stays neat.