Scallion and Corn Lobster Rolls

What makes these Asian-style scallion and corn lobster rolls special? It's all about the homemade buns! Take those soft rolls with a crunchy exterior and fill them with a fresh lobster salad to create the ultimate lobster roll!

Watch how to make this

Ingredients

• Bread flour: Unlike all-purpose flour, bread flour has a higher protein content, which results in a lighter and chewier texture. You can use all-purpose flour if you can't find bread flour, but the texture will be slightly different.
• Milk: The milk, eggs, and butter all help contribute to the bread's soft texture and rich flavor. I used 2% milk, but you can use whole milk or nonfat. Use unsalted butter, or if using salted butter, reduce the amount of salt by half.
• Panko: This type of breadcrumbs has a lighter, crispier texture than regular breadcrumbs. They are also bigger flakes, giving the bread that crunchy exterior.
• Lobster: I steamed fresh lobster to create the lobster salad filling.
• Corn kernels: Use fresh corn if you can for the best results.
• Kewpie: A Japanese mayonnaise with a unique umami taste, with a hint of sweetness. If you can't find Kewpie, use regular mayonnaise instead and add a pinch of sugar.
• Japanese hot mustard: A type of mustard with a sharp, pungent, spicy flavor. It is more potent than traditional yellow mustard or Dijon; however, you can use Dijon mustard instead if you prefer.

Substitutions and variations

• Protein: You can use precooked lobster or other seafood, such as shrimp, scallops, or crab.
• Bread: Although these buns are partly what makes the sandwich special, you can substitute them with store-bought rolls.

Step-by-step instructions

Step 1: Prepare dough

Let's start by making the most important part of this sandwich, the bread itself. In a bowl, combine warm milk with honey and active dry yeast, allowing the mixture to sit for 10 minutes until the yeast activates and creates a foamy texture. You can also use granulated sugar instead of honey, but I like the flavor that honey contributes.

Next, mix in bread flour, an egg, salt, and softened butter in the bowl of a stand mixer. Knead the dough until it becomes smooth and elastic, which should take around 7-8 minutes.

If you don't have a stand mixer, you can knead the dough with your hands. It will take longer, but there's just something so satisfying about using your hands sometimes.

Transfer the dough to a separate bowl, cover it with plastic wrap, and let it proof in a warm area for approximately 1 hour or until it doubles in size.

Step 2: Shape dough

After the dough has been proofed, gently punch it down and divide it into 8 equal portions, rolling each portion into a ball shape. Cover the dough balls loosely with a clean kitchen towel and let them rest for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, beat the remaining egg, and in a separate bowl, place the panko breadcrumbs.

Taking one dough portion at a time, flatten it into a rectangular shape. Starting from the long side facing you, roll the dough into a log, pinching the seams closed. Roll the log until it reaches a length of 6 inches. Dip each bread roll into the beaten egg, ensuring all sides are coated, and then roll it in the panko breadcrumbs, fully covering the surface.

Place the coated rolls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and loosely cover them with a clean kitchen towel. Allow the rolls to proof for approximately 45 minutes or until they double in size.

If you're preparing the dough the night before, transfer the shaped panko-crusted dough to the fridge and chill overnight. Then, the following day, let the dough come to room temperature, about 1 hour, before frying.

While the dough is proofing, it's time to prepare the delectable lobster salad. In a bowl, combine cooked lobster with corn, kewpie mayonnaise, lemon juice, and Japanese hot mustard. Season the mixture with salt and pepper to taste, and set it aside.

If you're cooking fresh lobster, you can cook the lobster during the first bread proof and assemble the salad during the second proof.

Step 3: Fry bread

Once the rolls have been proofed for the second time, it's time to fry the bread. Heat frying oil to 325 degrees F, and carefully drop the bread rolls into the oil in batches.

To ensure that all sides of the bread are evenly browned, flip it over a few times during frying. The rolls will float to the top, so you may need to hold the rolls down using a slotted spoon.

I found that it was easiest to fry two rolls at a time so that I could carefully keep an eye on them. If you have a frying basket, this can also help keep rolls submerged.

Once fried, transfer the bread rolls to plates lined with paper towels to drain any excess oil. Let the bread sit for 2-3 minutes before making the sandwiches.

If you're making the bread rolls ahead of time, let them cool completely and store them in an airtight container. You can reheat the rolls in the air fryer at 400 degrees or in the oven at 400 degrees until warm.

Step 4: Assemble sandwiches

Finally, it's time to assemble the sandwiches. Cut a slit on the top of each bread roll and fill it with the prepared lobster salad. Top the sandwiches with finely chopped Persian cucumber for an added crunch and serve the scallion and corn lobster rolls immediately.

These lobster rolls reminded me of the Taiwanese sandwiches, but with a fresher take. The bread is spot on with the perfect texture of soft and crunchy, and the sweet, refreshing lobster and corn salad makes the bread even better. Now it's time to make a big batch of these sandwich rolls for next time!

Make-ahead and storage

• Make-ahead: You can fry the sandwich rolls and make the lobster filling the day before, and assemble the sandwiches right before serving.
• Store: Keep leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 2 days. It's best to store the lobster salad and bread separately; if you do, keep the bread stored at room temperature.

Frequently asked questions

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Recipe

Print Recipe

Scallion and Corn Lobster Rolls

Total Time2 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Asian

Keyword: sandwich

Servings: 8

Author: Christine Ma

Ingredients

Sandwich bread

• ⅔ cup warm milk, between 100-110 degrees F (167 ml)
• 2 tablespoons honey (40 grams)
• 1 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast (6 grams)
• 2 cups bread flour (296 grams)
• 2 large eggs, divided
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons butter softened (28 grams)
• 1 cup panko breadcrumbs (60 grams)
• oil for frying

Lobster salad

• 1 pound cooked lobster
• 1 cup cooked corn kernels
• ⅔ cup kewpie mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons Japanese hot mustard
• salt and pepper
• 1 Persian cucumber finely chopped

Instructions

• Make sandwich bread dough. Combine warm milk with honey and yeast, gently stirring to combine. Let sit for 10 minutes or until yeast is activated and mixture is foamy.
• Combine yeast mixture with bread flour, egg, salt, and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix until a rough dough forms. Continue to knead dough until smooth, about 7-8 minutes. Transfer dough to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let proof in a warm area for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
• Punch down dough. Divide into 8 equal portions (about 78 grams each) and roll into balls. Loosely cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rest for 15 minutes.
• Beat remaining egg in a large bowl and place panko in another bowl.
• Working with one portion at a time, flatten the dough ball into a rectangle. Starting with the long side facing you, roll the dough into a log. Pinch close the seams and roll the log until it's 6 inches long.
• Dip bread into beaten egg then coat in panko, making sure to cover all sides. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and loosely cover with a clean kitchen towel. Repeat with the remaining dough. Let proof for 45 minutes or until doubled in size.
• Meanwhile, make lobster salad. Combine lobster with cooked corn, kewpie mayonnaise, lemon juice, and hot mustard. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
• Heat frying oil to 325 degrees F.
• Working in batches at a time, carefully drop the bread into the oil. Flip the bread over a few times while it's frying to get all sides evenly browned. You may need to hold it down to help even browning. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on paper towel-lined plates to drain excess oil. Repeat with remaining bread.
• Cut a slit on the top of the bread rolls and fill with lobster salad. Top with chopped cucumber and serve immediately.

Notes

You can make the bread dough the night before, following steps 1-6. After coating the dough in panko, place on a baking sheet and cover. Place in the fridge to chill overnight. The next day, take out the dough 1 hour before frying to bring up to room temperature. Continue with the recipe.

Kewpie mayonnaise is a type of sweet mayonnaise. Find it at Asian markets or you can make it yourself at home.