New England Lobster Rolls in Buttered, Toasted Buns

Bake. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 175°C (180°C). Kill every lobster by pressing this tip of a heavy chef's knife in this crack just behind the eyes in the middle of the carapace, pushing down to split the head in half while that is happening. Twist off tail and claws (including knuckles) from carapace using kitchen towels. Save carapace for another use. Push every tail flat against the cutting board plus insert wooden skewers along their whole length to keep them straight (this helps prevent it off curling when it cooks for easier cutting later, but is not required) if wanted.

Cook. Set a rack in a heavy-duty rimmed baking tray. Put a steamer insert in this bottom of a big lidded stock pot and add 2.5 cm of water. Bring to the boil over a high flame. Add a single layer of lobster claws plus tails (around half the lobster) plus cover pot. Let steam for exactly 2 minutes, next move to rack set in baking tray (lobsters may still be twitching a little—this is a reflex reaction.

Bake (2). Do not worry, they are dead.) Repeat with leftover lobster. Move to oven and roast till claws reach 55°C (57°C) in the middle as measured on an instant-read thermometer, around 7 minutes. Remove claws and keep to one side on big plate. Keep roasting till tails reach 55°C in center, 7 to 15 minutes longer (depending upon exact shape of tails). Take out from oven and move to plate using claws.

Cool. As soon as lobster is cool enough in order to handle, take out meat off shell using kitchen shears, lobster crackers, plus/or the back of a heavy cleaver in order to help crack the shells (it is ok if this meat gets a little mangled.) Cut meat in 1/2 to 2.5 cm bite sized pieces and move to a big bowl. Tip in mayonnaise and toss well to coat. Move to wire mesh strainer or big colander set in a bowl. Put in fridge and let to tip off the liquid plus cool for no less than 1 hour. Discard any drippings (or save in order to eat using bread).

Melt. Toss lobster using celery plus chives (if using). Taste and add salt if it needs it using lemon juice (if using), salt, and pepper. Keep to one side. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a big, heavy bottomed skillet over medium-low heat. Swirl in order to coat pan.

Finish. Tip in 4 buns using one cut side down. Heat, pressing on buns lightly and moving them around the pan till a deep gold on first side. Take out off pan, tip in another tablespoon of butter, plus toast second side. Repeat using second batch of buns. Share filling uniformly amongst all the buns and eat at once with pickles and potato chips.