When I was in Maine last month, my mother took me to the most famous lobster shack in southern Maine, a little stand overlooking the Sheepscot River where there was always a line for at least an hour. The place was famous for its huge lobster rolls, which contained the meat of a whole one and a quarter pound lobster.
Even though people waited in line for a long time in the hot sun, there was a pleasant, festive atmosphere, as if everyone knew they were in for a real treat.
After about an hour and a half, we finally sat down at a little plastic table and were served our sandwiches, red plastic baskets with a huge amount of meat overspilling a tiny piece of bread. The underseasoned lobster itself was no better than any other lobster I’d tried in the area, and was not dressed in any sauce. There was a little container of commercial mayonnaise on the side and a ramekin of drawn butter that didn’t taste like butter.
Since there was way more lobster than bread and it was difficult to season and dress the lobster properly, I could barely finish the sandwich, and left the place unsatisfied and a little depressed about its phenomenal popularity.
What’s my point? That if given a choice between quantity and quality in this country, we always pick quantity, especially when it comes to animal protein. Perhaps this will change: When I was the Aspen Food and Wine Festival this summer, chef Tom Collichio told a gathering of journalists that his next project was a vegetable-centered restaurant where animal protein was used as an accent. So maybe there’s hope.
This week’s recipe is, appropriately enough, a little vegetable-centered bite made with first-of-the-season broccoli and last-of-the-season basil.
Crostini with Broccoli Basil Pesto
Makes about 16 crostini.
Ingredients
1 quart broccoli florets
1 cup basil leaves
2 tablespoons minced garlic
½ cup grated parmesan or pecorino cheese
½ cup toasted almonds or walnuts
cup olive oil
Zest of 1 lemon
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Pinch chile flakes
16 slices baguette or ciabbata, toasted
6 sundried tomatoes, julienned
2 tablespoons minced red onion
Directions
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the broccoli for about 5 minutes, until tender. Drain, shock in ice water and drain again.
In a food processor, blend the broccoli, basil, garlic, cheese, almonds or walnuts, olive oil, lemon zest, salt and pepper and chile flakes to a rough paste. Taste for seasoning.
Spread the pesto on the toasts and top with sundried tomatoes and red onion.
