Calling All Lobster Lovers

It's lobster season, and boy are there a lot of them. This past January, the state fisheries commissioner announced that more than 100 million pounds of lobster had been harvested by Maine's lobstermen in 2011, the most to date. Excuse the pun but, what's the catch?

Click here to see 8 Innovative Lobster Recipes

Some might say that we're just lucky; others say it's due to the overfishing of one of lobster's main predators, cod. Whatever the reason, lobster is here and it's affordable, so it's time to start putting the decadent crustacean to use. While sometimes nothing is better than dipping a big piece of juicy lobster into melted butter, let's put away the lobster bib for a moment and put on our thinking caps.

Don't worry — we here at The Daily Meal have already rounded up some fun and innovative ways to use lobster meat. A lobster- and shrimp-stuffed avocado puts a Cuban spin on the Northeastern staple, while lobster eggs Benedict turns an early day meal into an elegant feast. Try your hand at Asian cuisine with lobster wontons, or pair the shellfish with a summer favorite in our Watermelon Soup with Lobster recipe. Whatever dish you choose, these recipes are a great way to take advantage of the readily available summertime favorite.
 

Anne Dolce is the Cook Editor at The Daily Meal. Follow her on Twitter @anniecdolce