LONGWOOD, Fla. — Let's get tropical, ya'll.

Chef Steve Nulph, the man in charge of the Without a Paddle stationary food truck on Wekiva Island in Longwood, creates a lobster "roll" that isn't a roll at all.

“Oh yea, I'll be here forever,” Nulph says, laughing, “as long as we have a trailer here.”

Chef has known the Wekiva Island staff for more than 20 years.

“This is my home,” he says, proudly. “I was 19 years old, and I was like, 'I'm going to go to a restaurant job,' and within two years, I was managing restaurant jobs, and it hasn't stopped since then.”

Out of all the items he spotlighted, the fried lobster sandwich is a no-brainer to feature.

Let's cook!

Sauteed Lobster Tail Sandwich

Ingredients:

  • 5- to 6-ounce cold water lobster tail, shell removed, tail left on
  • 3-4 tablespoons clarified butter
  • Seafood breader (preferably made with corn flour)
  • Fresh lemon wedges
  • Garlic butter
  • 4-inch toasted kaiser roll

Instructions:

  1. Remove the lobster meat from a 6-ounce Maine lobster tail, leaving the tail shell on the plate for visual effect.
  2. Cut length-wise slits with a sharp knife down the meat of the tail to spread out the tail meat.
  3. Drag the tail through the seafood breader or flour, and knock off excess breading.
  4. To make the garlic butter, melt a stick of butter in the microwave or on the stovetop, and add garlic to suit your taste preference.
  5. Saute the breaded lobster in the heated clarified butter on both sides until cooked and golden brown. You need about 3-4 tablespoons of the clarified butter in a 10-inch saute pan.
  6. Drain the clarified butter from the pan, and put the pan back on burner.
  7. Pour some of the garlic butter over the lobster and baste.
  8. At the same time, toast the kaiser roll.
  9. Squeeze the juice from a big wedge of fresh lemon on the lobster.
  10. Remove the lobster from the pan, and place on the toasted kaiser roll.

Serve with mango slaw and fries.