Food and Beverage
Dish Up a Fall Seafood Delight: 5 ways to prepare fresh lobster at home
Maine Lobster, in its peak season this fall, offers versatile cooking methods like grilling, steaming, and air-frying, ideal for family meals. Latinx chef Marisel Salazar shares lobster recipes inspired by American Latino cuisines.
(Family Features) If you’re seeking a new way to bring your family together at mealtimes during a busy fall, look no further than sweet, succulent Maine Lobster. As a versatile solution at the center of delicious dinners, satisfying snacks and beyond, it’s a perfect way to serve up new fall favorites.
The fall harvest brings peak season for Maine Lobster, offering bountiful opportunities to enjoy its sweetness in an abundance of recipes like these dishes from Marisel Salazar, an accomplished Latinx food writer with a unique global perspective. Her debut cookbook, “Latin-ish,” celebrates more than 100 modern recipes influenced by American Latino cuisines.
Lobster is easier to cook than some may believe, making it accessible for cooks of all backgrounds and experience levels. Salazar and the experts at the Maine Lobster Marketing Collaborative recommend these five methods:
- Grilled: Lobster soaks up the charred flavors from the grill, delivering a smoky flavor that complements the sweet, succulent meat.
- Air-Fried: Results in a crisp exterior and tender, juicy meat, enhancing lobster’s natural flavors.
- Boiled: A quick, easy, popular method perfect for entertaining, boiling brings out the rich, sweet flavor in these recipes for Puerto Nuevo-Style Lobster and Lobster Ceviche.
- Steamed: Preserves lobster’s natural taste and tenderness as a gentle cooking method, making it harder to overcook.
- Baked: Allows for flavorful additions like garlic butter or a breadcrumb topping. Creates a delicious, savory crust for a gourmet twist.
With its first documented catch dating back to the 1600s, the Maine Lobster fishery is one of the oldest continually operated industries in North America. The fishery employs more than 5,000 independent lobstermen, harvests 90 million pounds of lobster and, in 2023, landed 80% of the lobster caught nationwide. Find more ways to enjoy fresh lobster this fall at LobsterFromMaine.com.
Puerto Nuevo-Style Lobster
Recipe courtesy of Marisel Salazar, on behalf of the Maine Lobster Marketing Collaborative
- Seafood seasoning, to taste
- 1 bottle Mexican beer
- 2 Maine Lobsters (about 3 pounds)
- black pepper, to taste
- 2/3 cup lard, vegetable shortening or olive oil
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- flour or corn tortillas
- 2 cups red rice
- 1 cup refried black or pinto beans
- 1 cup pico de gallo
- 1 cup salsa verde
- 6 lemon wedges
- Bring large pot of water to boil. Season with seafood seasoning, to taste, and a few splashes of Mexican beer. Boil lobsters 3 minutes.
- Remove and split lobsters in half down middle. Thoroughly rinse shell and lobster meat, discarding green intestines and black vein running down center of tail.
- Lightly season lobster halves with seafood seasoning and black pepper, to taste.
- In deep-frying pan, heat lard. Fry each lobster half 5 minutes on each side. Set aside to drain on paper towel-lined plate.
- To serve, scoop lobster meat onto tortilla with rice, beans, pico de gallo, salsa verde and squeeze of lemon.
Lobster Ceviche
Recipe courtesy of Marisel Salazar, on behalf of the Maine Lobster Marketing Collaborative
- 1 Maine Lobster (about 1 1/2 pounds)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1 small red or white onion, minced or sliced
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 tablespoon jalapeno, seeded and minced
- 1-2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil or avocado oil
- flaky sea salt, to taste
- saltines, tortilla chips or plantain chips, for serving
- Bring large pot of salted water to boil. In large bowl, prepare ice bath with 2 quarts water and lots of ice.
- If using whole lobster, split lobster in half and use dish towel to twist off claws and tail. Discard body.
- Boil tail and claws 1 1/2 minutes. Remove tail from water and place in ice bath. Allow claws to boil 1 1/2 minutes longer. Remove and place in ice bath.
- On chopping board, shell lobster tail and claws. Discard shells. Roughly chop into pieces.
- In medium bowl, toss lobster and lime juice. Refrigerate 1 hour.
- When ready to serve, add onion, cilantro and jalapeno to bowl with lobster; toss to combine. Arrange on plate or in serving glass. Drizzle with oil and top with flaky sea salt, to taste. Serve with saltines, tortilla chips or plantain chips.
SOURCE:
Maine Lobster Marketing Collaborative
At our core, we at STM Daily News, strive to keep you informed and inspired with the freshest content on all things food and beverage. From mouthwatering recipes to intriguing articles, we’re here to satisfy your appetite for culinary knowledge.
Visit our Food & Drink section to get the latest on Foodie News and recipes, offering a delightful blend of culinary inspiration and gastronomic trends to elevate your dining experience.
https://stmdailynews.com/category/food-and-beverage
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Last Updated on April 4, 2026 by Daily News Staff
(Feature Impact) When your kitchen is full of colorful eggs, candy baskets, tempting sweets and all that comes with Easter, sometimes a holiday classic is just the answer for simplifying the season. Perfect for pairing with deviled eggs, potato salad and a traditional Sunday feast, this Maple-Glazed Easter Ham provides a hands-off approach to the main dish.
With an easily prepared glaze and your oven doing most of the work, you can keep your attention on time spent with loved ones. Visit Culinary.net to find more seasonal favorites, both classic and contemporary.
Maple-Glazed Easter Ham
Recipe adapted from Southern Living
Total time: 3 hours
Servings: 10
- 1 bone-in spiral-cut ham (8-9 pounds)
- 1 cup pure maple syrup
- 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 1/2 cup (4 ounces) bourbon
- 1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- orange slices and wedges, for garnish
- fresh rosemary sprigs, for garnish
- Preheat oven to 350 F.
- Place ham in large roasting pan and fill with 1/2 inch of water. Cover pan with aluminum foil and bake about 2 hours, basting every 30 minutes with juices from pan, until meat registers 120 F at thickest portion.
- In medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stir maple syrup, brown sugar, bourbon, ginger and cinnamon; bring to boil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 6-8 minutes. Remove from heat. Cover to keep warm and set aside.
- Remove ham from oven and discard foil. Increase oven temperature to 400 F. Using pastry brush, glaze ham with 1/3 cup maple-bourbon mixture.
- Bake ham about 30 minutes until top is lightly caramelized and meat registers 145 F at thickest portion, brushing with remaining glaze every 10 minutes.
- Remove from oven and transfer ham to serving platter. Let rest 15 minutes and garnish with orange slices, orange wedges and rosemary sprigs.
Photo courtesy of Shutterstock
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At our core, we at STM Daily News, strive to keep you informed and inspired with the freshest content on all things food and beverage. From mouthwatering recipes to intriguing articles, we’re here to satisfy your appetite for culinary knowledge.
Visit our Food & Drink section to get the latest on Foodie News and recipes, offering a delightful blend of culinary inspiration and gastronomic trends to elevate your dining experience. https://stmdailynews.com/food-and-drink/
If you needed a reason to celebrate your favorite wrapped meal, here it is.
National Burrito Day is observed every year on the first Thursday of April—a moving food holiday that always lands just in time to kick off spring cravings.
In 2026, National Burrito Day fell on April 2, giving burrito lovers across the U.S. the perfect midweek excuse to indulge.
A Quick Bite of History
While the burrito itself has deep roots in Mexican cuisine, the modern celebration of National Burrito Day is largely driven by restaurants and food brands that turned it into an annual event—complete with deals, giveaways, and social media buzz.
Today, it’s widely embraced by chains like Chipotle Mexican Grill and Qdoba Mexican Eats, along with local taquerías that join in the celebration.
Why It Matters (Beyond the Food)
National Burrito Day is more than just a marketing holiday—it reflects how a simple, portable dish became a staple of American food culture.
From classic bean-and-cheese to fully loaded carne asada burritos, the options are endless—and so are the reasons to celebrate.
External Related Reading
- National Day Calendar: National Burrito Day
- Smithsonian Magazine: A Brief History of the Burrito
- Chipotle Mexican Grill – Official Website
- Qdoba Mexican Eats – Official Website
Related Reading
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Lighten Up: Fresh Spring Meals That Won’t Weigh You Down
Prepare your fresh spring menu with light, flavorful dishes like shrimp pearl couscous salad and chickpea couscous—perfect for easy, satisfying meals without the heaviness.
Lighten Up: Fresh Spring Meals That Won’t Weigh You Down
(Feature Impact) Put away the heavy coats and break out the rain jackets and rubber boots – spring is here, and with it comes more than just pop-up showers and sunshine. After months of comfort foods and curling up indoors, you may be ready for lighter meals that won’t weigh you down before splashing in the puddles.
Fresh produce may first come to mind, but spring bites can also mean swapping out ingredients like regular pasta for a solution such as pearl couscous. If you’re looking to complement greens, veggies, fish or meats with light yet filling flavor, consider Success Boil-in-Bag Pearl Couscous, a small, mediterranean-style pasta that always cooks right and is ready to eat in under 7 minutes once the water boils. The BPA-free boil-in-bag simplicity makes cooking easy and foolproof: no measure, no mess, no stress.
Made with high-quality semolina wheat, it features a slightly nutty flavor on its own while absorbing the flavors of salads while retaining its density and chewy texture. It’s distinguished from traditional Moroccan couscous by its slightly larger, rounder shape and less dense, firmer consistency.
Try it with your next meal in this protein-forward Shrimp Pearl Couscous Salad, made using fresh herbs, citrus, seasoned shrimp and chickpeas for a jam-packed salad that screams spring. Never boring, the tender, seasoned couscous and shrimp, veggies and aromatic herbs can bring your family running to the kitchen after a day of play.
Or, for an even simpler dish that requires just 15 minutes in the kitchen, this Pearl Couscous and Chickpea Salad is light, bright and bursting with flavor. It brings together tender pearl couscous, crisp veggies and za’atar in every bite.
To find more light spring recipe ideas, visit SuccessRice.com.
Shrimp Pearl Couscous Salad
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Servings: 4
- 1 bag Success Pearl Couscous
- 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 tablespoon seasoned salt
- 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 can (14 ounces) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 English cucumber, diced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
- 1/4 cup red onions, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/2 cup feta, crumbled
- Prepare pearl couscous according to package directions.
- In medium bowl, toss shrimp with seasoned salt.
- In large saucepan over medium-high heat, heat 1 tablespoon oil. Add shrimp and cook 5 minutes. If necessary, cook in batches to avoid overcrowding pan.
- In another large pan, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat. Add chickpeas and cook 8 minutes until crispy and golden, tossing often. Add garlic powder, onion powder, paprika and salt. Toss to fully coat and cook 2 minutes.
- In large bowl, combine pearl couscous, shrimp, chickpeas, cucumbers, tomatoes, basil, red onion, dill, lemon juice and remaining olive oil. Toss to combine. Garnish with feta.
Pearl Couscous and Chickpea Salad
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Servings: 4
- 1 bag Success Pearl Couscous
- 1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 cup cucumber, diced
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 tablespoon za’atar
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- Prepare pearl couscous according to package directions.
- In large bowl, combine couscous, chickpeas, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, parsley and za’atar.
- Drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. Toss until well combined.
- Serve warm or at room temperature.
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