Lobster Rolls and Hard Cider

Yes, hard cider goes with seafood. In fact, it goes with anything. This is because hard cider, like wine, reflects the fruit you used to make it. You can have dry, tart cider with some effervescence or a still astringent cider that’s slightly bitter and has a heavy mouthfeel. You can also have sweet hard ciders and red or orange colored hard ciders. You can even mix in adjuncts that take the flavor, colors, and aromas to new layers of complexity. When I pair my ciders with food, I try to assess the essence of the food and how a cider can enhance the experience of eating it. I am certain there are different perspectives on how to match cider and food. For seafood, I am usually looking for something with a sharpness and effervescence to it. I want it to be light in body and mouthfeel with a floral or citrus note to it. This is usually because seafood flavors are often delicate and ciders with higher acidity and subtle aromas will brighten or highlight the delicate flavors of the food. If you are coking your seafood in a heavy cream sauce, that may not be the case. Ultimately, you should drink what you like but ciders with more delicate aromas and flavors will often pair well with food that is lighter with nuanced favors. Richer foods with bolder flavors will often pair well with more astringent hard cider or hard ciders with bold flavors.

So, are lobster rolls light and delicate or creamy and bold. I believe this recipe leans towards bright and delicate with the lemon juice, tarragon, and celery. However, one could argue it’s hardier fair with the sourdough molasses roll and mayonnaise base. For my hard cider, I tried to walk a thin line and went with my Black & Gold Cider. This cider is a Arkansas Black and GoldRush blend using both apples and peels. The peels and processing make this cider very aromatic and a nice orange color. However, the peels also bring some tannins and astringency but I put it more into a fruity hard cider over a tannic rich cider. It has a good acid base that helps clean and brighten the dish but grounds the cider with some nice drying tannins and works well with the slightly sweet molasses sourdough bun. Plus, this hard cider just has an awesome color.

We also served this with a slightly spicy but bright and refreshing corn on the cob. This is a Mexican air fryer roasted corn that has organic cilantro and lime. The corn is roasted and the sweetness from the corn and acid from the lime are well balance. Its a wonderful side for the lobster roll. The corn offers these fresh and bright flavors in every bite so we need a cider that can deal with these complexities, which again works well with my Black & Gold Cider.

Lobster Roll – On Sourdough Molasses Roll

Serving: 4-6

Ingredients:

4 Lobsters Tails (3-4 oz each).
2 Tablespoons Butter.
1 Clove Garlic, Diced
2 Teaspoons Fresh Tarragon, Diced
2 Stalks Celery, Diced
1 Lemon, Juiced (2-3 Tablespoons)
1/4 Cup Mayonnaise
1/4 Teaspoon Salt.
Cracked Fresh Pepper
4-6 Fresh Rolls (I made molasses rolls from my sourdough starter).
1 Tablespoon Butter, Melted.

Steps:

Sauté lobster in butter and diced garlic until cooked and tender (2-3 minutes)
Chop into medium chunks and mix with tarragon and lemon juice
mix in mayonnaise and salt and chill for at least 15 minutes
Brush rolls with butter and place on a griddle to toast
Fill the roll with lobster and top with fresh cracked pepper

Roasted Mexican Corn (Air Fryer Mexican Corn)

Ingredients:

4 Ears Sweet Corn, Shucked and Cut in Half
Spray Oil
1 1/2 Tablespoons Butter, Melted
2 Teaspoons Garlic, Diced
1 Teaspoon Lime Zest (1 Lime)
1 Tablespoon Lime Juice (1 Lime)
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Pepper, Fresh Cracked
2 Tablespoons Fresh Cilantro, Chopped

Steps:

Coat corn with a light amount of oil and roasted on air fryer at 400F (or Convection Oven with Rack) for 15 minutes turning after 7-8 minutes.
Melt butter in a microwavable bowl.
Add garlic, lime zest and juice, and butter in a microwavable bowl, cover, and microwave on high for 30 seconds.
Stir and microwave for an additional 10 seconds.
Coat corn with butter mixture and top with salt, pepper, and cilantro.

Alternative Commercial Hard Ciders:

Don’t make hard cider or not sure you have the best cider for this pairing? Here are a few commercial cider alternatives that I feel will pair well with these delicious eggs.