Meredith Hayden, the chef behind the popular @WishboneKitchen, has a knack for turning simple ingredients into something special, often inspired by her time as a private chef in the Hamptons, where fresh seafood and seasonal produce were always within reach. Her cooking style is equal parts relaxed and refined, with an emphasis on bold flavours and unfussy presentation.

This lobster and avocado salad is perfect for warm-weather lunches or casual dinners, combining buttery lobster meat, creamy avocado, and bright citrus for a dish that feels luxurious but effortless.

This recipe is a celebration of summer. Juicy heirloom tomatoes, plump chunks of lobster meat, creamy avocado, tender microgreens, and a simple herb dressing to bring it all together. It pairs perfectly with a hot sunny day (or pretending it’s a hot sunny day) and good company.

INGREDIENTS – Serves 4

For the Herb Dressing

2⁄3 cup mayo

1⁄4 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves

2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh tarragon

2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh chives

1⁄2 small shallot, roughly chopped

1⁄2 lemon, zested and juiced (1 to 2 tablespoons)

1⁄4 teaspoon kosher salt

For the Salad

4 medium heirloom tomatoes, sliced 1⁄4 inch thick

1 medium-large avocado, peeled, pitted, and sliced

1 lemon, halved

2 heads Bibb or Little gem lettuce, leaves separated

1 head frisée lettuce or bunch of watercress, leaves separated

1⁄2 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves, torn into 1-inch pieces

1⁄4 cup loosely packed fresh tarragon leaves

1⁄4 cup finely chopped fresh chives

1 pound cooked lobster meat from about 2 lobsters (page 62), cut in bite-size chunks

Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling

Flaky salt

METHOD

PREP THE DRESSING: Using a blender or immersion blender, process the mayo, basil, tarragon, chives, shallot, lemon zest, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, and salt until smooth. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding more salt and/ or lemon juice as needed.

PREP THE VEG: Season both sides of the tomato slices with flaky salt and set aside.

Season the avocado slices with a pinch of flaky salt and a squeeze of lemon juice. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the Bibb lettuce, frisée, basil, and tarragon. Add a few tablespoons of dressing plus a few pinches of flaky salt and toss to coat.

ASSEMBLE AND SERVE: Arrange a layer of tomatoes and avocado over a serving platter or individual plates and drizzle them with extra-virgin olive oil, then begin to build the salad. Top the tomatoes with a pile of the lettuce mixture, layer in some of the lobster, more of the tomatoes and avocado, more lettuce, and more lobster. Finish with a sprinkle of chives, freshly grated lemon zest, and another drizzle of olive oil.

The Wishbone Kitchen by Meredith Hayden (Ebury Press, £26). Photography by Emma Fishman.