Hello warm weather! We're diving head first into summer with these incredible shrimp rolls! The secret is in the details - toasted, buttery bun, and one of our favorite (and very underestimated) herb, tarragon. Fresh, simple, and so so tasty!

INGREDIENTS:
2 lbs medium cooked shrimp, tails removed
2/3 cup mayo 
1 tsp Dijon
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice, plus more for serving 
2 Tbsp capers, rinsed
2 Tbsp minced tarragon
2 Tbsp fresh chives, chopped
1 medium shallot, minced 
Salt and pepper
3 Tbsp butter
8 top-sliced hot dog buns, toasted 

INSTRUCTIONS:
In a large bowl mix together mayonnaise, Dijon, lemon juice, capers, tarragon, chives, shallot. Stir in shrimp and season with salt and pepper, to taste.  
 
Set aside and add butter to large skillet over medium heat. Add buns and toast on each side until golden brown. Just before serving, spoon about ½ cup- 2/3 cup shrimp mixture into each roll. Serve with additional lemon wedge.

Crab boils can look intimidating, but they are really quite simple. The key is TIMING! To make sure your corn and potatoes are cooked though, and your seafood is not overcooked. Here we've used pre-cooked snow crab legs to make it even easier, but we've also included a time chart for other fresh seafood if you want to add some variety to your boil! 

Lobster: 12-15 minutes 
Clams: 5-10 minutes 
Mussels: 7-10 minutes 
Shrimp: 2-3 minutes

Ingredients

Serves 4-6

1 quart water 
2 cups white wine (or sub water if desired)
6-8 garlic cloves, smashed
2 onions, peeled and quartered 
2 lemons, halved
3 Tbsp crab boil spice (such as zatarains or old bay)
1 bay leaf
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 Tbsp kosher salt
1 lb baby red potatoes (1 inch, or cut potatoes into 1-inch cubes)
4 ears of corn, shucked and halved
10 oz cooked andouille sausage, cut into rounds
​6 snow crab clusters, pre-cooked
4 oz salted butter melted, for serving

In a large stock pot bring water, wine, garlic, onions, lemons, crab boil spice, bay leaf, thyme, and salt to a boil. (If you have a burner on the side of your grill this is a great place to do a boil.) 

Reduce heat to medium and add potatoes. Cook potatoes for 5 minutes then add halved corn and sausage. Cook for an additional 3 minutes then add snow crab clusters. Cook for an additional 6-8 minutes or until crab is heated all the way through. 

Strain and dump into a large serving platter, or right onto a newspaper covered table. Serve with melted butter and extra lemon.

You don't have to be a sushi chef to throw an epic sushi party! Trust us, it's not that difficult, and there is no wrong way to do it. You'll get the hang of rolling the nori (seaweed wrappers) just after a couple of times, and you don't even need any fancy tools to do it (plastic wrap or foil work just fine).  

You could even prepare the rice and fillings in bowls and have your guests do the rolling, but here we will show you how we make the rolls ahead for your guests. In addition, we're sharing some of our favorite side dish recipes to serve along side all of the tasty homemade rolls.

P.S. Don't forget the chopsticks! 

Here's what you'll need:
Nori 
Sushi Rice, Recipe below
Fillings, Recipes below
Sesame Seeds
Soy Sauce
Ginger
Wasabi 
Pickled Ginger
Sriracha 
Sriracha Mayo

Side Dishes:
Easy Spicy Peanut Noodles (Recipe Here)
Coconut Lemongrass Quinoa Salad with Mango, Cashews, and Mint (Recipe Here)
Sea Salt Edamame 
Cucumber Salad

Step 1 - Prepare the rice 

Makes 8-10 rolls 

4 cups sushi or short grain rice 
4 cups water
4 Tbsp seasoned rice vinegar
2 Tbsp Kosher salt 

In a strainer, rinse the rice under cold water until water runs clear. Drain.

Place the rice and 4 cups of water into a large pan over high heat. Bring to a boil. Once it begins to boil, stir once, and reduce heat to low. Cover and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes. 

Transfer rice to a large bowl and toss well with vinegar and salt. Allow to cool to room temp before using.  

Step 2 - Prepare the fillings (4 of our favorites)

Spicy Tuna
Dice 4 oz sashimi grade tuna into small 1/4 inch pieces. Mix with 1/2 tsp sesame oil,
3 tsp sriracha, 2 scallions, and black (and or white) sesame seeds.

Crab
In a small bowl mix 8 oz cooked crab meat with 3 Tbsp mayo or sriracha mayo,
a couple dashes of soy sauce, and scallions.

Smoked Salmon
Cut 3 oz thinly sliced smoked salmon into 1/2 inch strips with 
1 1/4 inch strip cream cheese, and 1 1/4 inch cucumber slice. 

Loaded Vegetable 
Peel one ripe (but firm) avocado, and slice into 1/4 in think slices.
Squeeze lime or lemon juice to prevent browning. Roll with sliced red bell pepper,
roasted portobello mushrooms, and roasted sweet potatoes. 

​Step 3 - Roll the sushi

The key is to roll the sushi tightly, so it doesn't fall apart, but you don't want to smash the rice, so you must be gentle at the same time. If you don't have a bamboo mat, use a piece of plastic wrap or foil. 

Also, the rice will stick to your hands, so prepare a small bowl with equal parts water and rice vinegar to moisten your fingers while you work. 

Begin by laying a sheet of nori, shiny side down on the mat (or plastic wrap/foil). Wet your fingers and spread 3/4 cup of rice evenly onto the nori sheet. Sprinkle the rice with sesame seeds.

Now turn the sheet over so the rice side is facing down. Alternatively, you can also keep it right side up and make rolls with the nori on the outside, like in the photo above. 

Next, place a line of your filling of choice at the bottom end of the nori sheet. Grab the bottom edge of the bamboo mat (or plastic wrap/foil) while keeping the fillings in place with your fingers, roll into a tight cylinder. Continue to roll forward while keeping gentle pressure on the roll. Give the roll one final gentle squeeze.

Using a very sharp knife, cut the roll in half then each into 4 pieces. Clean the knife with a damp towel every few slices, as needed. 

INGREDIENTS:
​1 ½ pounds skinless, boneless salmon
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp mayonnaise 
½ cup coarse bread crumbs
3 scallions, sliced white and green parts 
1 tablespoon capers, drained
Salt and black pepper
2 tablespoons butter or olive oil
Salt and pepper 
4 slices horseradish cheddar
4 buns
Pickled Red Onions (see recipe for Jenny's Pickled Onions)
Arugula, for serving
Mayonnaise, for serving 

INSTRUCTIONS:
Cut the salmon into large chunks, and put about a quarter of it into a food processor with the dijon. Pulse until salmon becomes pasty. Add the remaining salmon, and pulse the machine on and off until the fish is chopped and well combined, leaving small chunks of the salmon. Be careful not make the mixture too fine.

Stir in the mayonnaise, bread crumbs, scallions, capers and some salt and pepper. Shape into four burgers.
​
Heat oil in a nonstick skillet to medium-high (alternatively you can grill the burgers). Cook each side until golden brown, about 3-4 minutes per side.  Be careful not to overcook!  Serve with arugula, pickled onions, mayonnaise, and horseradish cheddar.

Nothing beats this classic from the south of France. If you like to eat salads for a meal this is your guy! It is packed with flavor and leaves you feeling good afterwards. Win win!

INGREDIENTS:
2 heads green leaf lettuce, washed and chopped
2 cups arugula
1 lb poached shrimp
1 cup roasted beets, diced
8-10 roasted or boiled purple potatoes
4 oz blanched green beans, trimmed
3 hard boiled eggs, peeled and quartered
1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
1⁄2 cup Kalamata olives
1⁄2 cup sliced red onion
Tarragon Caper Dressing, see below

INSTRUCTIONS:
Begin by bringing together all of your salad ingredients. Prepare salad dressing and arrange both lettuce and arugula on a large platter. Arrange the shrimp, beets, potatoes, green beans, eggs, tomatoes, olives, and red onion on top of the lettuce. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with 1⁄4 cup of the dressing. Serve with additional dressing on the side.

Tarragon Caper Dressing
1/2 cup good quality extra virgin olive oil 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp honey
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 small garlic clove, minced
2 Tbsp capers, drained and rinsed
1 Tbsp finely chopped tarragon
Combine all ingredients in a large mason jar, tighten lid, and shake well until fully incorporated.
Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Three things make the pefefct lobster roll: fresh Maine lobster meat, a warm toasted roll, and tarragon. If you’re a lobster roll purest you may disagree with the last one, but what’s life without a little added pizazz?
​
INGREDIENTS:
3 1 1⁄4 pound live lobster
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
3 Tbsp mayonnaise
1 tsp chopped fresh tarragon
Salt and pepper
6 New England style split-top buns
2 Tbsp butter, softened

INSTRUCTIONS:
Pour water into a large stock pot 1 inch up the sides, salt generously and bring to a boil. Add lobsters and cover. Cook for 10 minutes or until lobsters are bright red. Remove from pot and allow to cool before handling.
​
With a seafood cracker, crack open claws and tail. Pick meat and roughly chop tail meat. Mix lobster with lemon juice, mayonnaise, and tarragon. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Meanwhile spread butter onto rolls and heat a large skillet over med heat. Cook on both sides until golden brown; fill with lobster

Everyday lemon vinaigrette is hands-down the best go-to dressing. The slightly sweet tang goes beautifully with all types of greens or grains, grilled veggies, and seafood. Paired with the arugula and smoked salmon on this flatbread is basically what our wildest citrus-filled dreams are made of, friends.

INGREDIENTS:
2 naan
1/3 cup Crème fraiche
8 oz smoked salmon
1⁄4 cup sliced red onion
2 Tbsp capers
2 cups packed Arugula
Salt and pepper
Everyday Lemon Vinaigrette, see below
​
INSTRUCTIONS:
Grill Naan on each side for 2-3 minutes or alternatively, preheat oven to 450F, and bake for 5-7 minutes or until golden brown.
Remove and allow to cool slightly. Divide crème fraiche between the two naan and spread evenly to coat. Top with smoked salmon, red onion, and capers. Lastly, toss the arugula with lemon vinaigrette, season with salt and pepper, and pile dressed arugula on top.

Everyday Lemon Vinaigrette:
Pro Tip: We like to make a large mason jar in the beginning of the week, pop it in the fridge, and let the flavors intensify as the week goes on!
1 tsp Dijon
1-2 tsp honey
1 tsp white wine vinegar
3 tsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
1⁄2 tsp lemon zest
1⁄4 cup good quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Tbsp minced shallot (optional) Salt & Pepper
Combine all ingredients in a mason jar and shake well until combined.