Gene Betz's Lobster Hoagie

Makes 1 large sandwich (2 to 4 servings)

1 pound steamed lobster meat, cut into bite-size pieces (see note)
6 tablespoons Roasted Garlic Aioli (recipe below)
Pinch of fresh herbs (parsley, thyme or tarragon)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 (24-inch) French baguette, split
1/4 cup Boursin cheese
4 ounces thinly sliced pancetta (Italian cured bacon)
4 shallots, sliced
1 teaspoon grapeseed oil
10 slices oven-dried plum tomatoes (see note)
4 ounces mache (delicate dark leafy greens)

1. Mix the lobster meat, aioli, herbs, salt and pepper in a bowl. Refrigerate.
2. Warm the baguette in a hot oven.
3. Spread the Boursin on the baguette.
4. Grill or fry the pancetta for 2 minutes per side and layer it over the cheese. Spread lobster mixture over pancetta.
5. In a hot skillet, saute the shallots in the oil, stirring constantly, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes.
6. Top the sandwich with the shallots, dried tomatoes, mache and top half of baguette. Slice, wrap in plastic, and chill until time to serve.
-- From Gene Betz, executive chef, The Saloon, Philadelphia

Note: To prepare the lobster meat, steam a live 2-pound lobster or two 1-pound lobsters or four 4-ounce lobster tails. (As a less expensive alternative, substitute a lobster-flavored processed seafood product or cooked monkfish.) 

For oven-dried tomatoes, place the peeled, seeded halves of 5 ripe plum tomatoes on a lightly oiled baking sheet. Brush with extra-virgin olive oil and sprinkle with fresh or dried thyme and salt and pepper to taste. Roast at 175 degrees until dry but still soft, about 3 hours.

Per serving, based on 4 servings: 669 calories, 39 grams protein, 44 grams carbohydrates, 8 grams sugar, 38 grams fat, 181 milligrams cholesterol, 1,198 milligrams sodium, 3 grams dietary fiber.

Roasted Garlic Aioli

Makes about 1-1/2 cups

1 large head garlic
2 tablespoons plus 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
Salt and pepper to taste
3 egg yolks
1 tablespoon champagne vinegar or lemon juice

1. Slice off the top of the garlic head to expose the cloves. Place head on a sheet of aluminum foil in a shallow baking dish. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Cover with the foil and roast in a preheated 500-degree oven until garlic is very soft, 30 to 40 minutes. (Or roast in a preheated 350-degree oven for 1 hour.)
2. Remove garlic from oven and let stand until cool enough to handle. Squeeze the pulp from the cloves and set it aside.
3. In a food processor or blender, process the egg yolks, vinegar and garlic pulp, adding remaining cup of oil in a slow stream, until a thick, mayonnaiselike emulsion forms.
4. Use as a spread or as directed in recipes.

Per tablespoon: 90 calories, 0.4 gram protein, 0.6 gram carbohydrates, no sugar, 10 grams fat, 27 milligrams cholesterol, 1 milligram sodium, no dietary fiber.