Mock Lobster

Haddock poached in tomato juice picks up a sweet, briny flavor that genuinely mimics lobster at a fraction of the price. The tomato juice seasons the fish as it cooks, giving it a rosy tint and a subtle sweetness that straight water poaching never delivers.

The sauce is where this really comes together. Chili sauce, prepared horseradish, and sour cream blend into a creamy, tangy dip with a spicy kick. It’s basically a kicked-up cocktail sauce with sour cream smoothing out the heat.

This works great as a main course with drawn butter on the side, or flake the fish into chunks and serve it cold on rolls for a mock lobster salad.

Pro Tips

• Simmer the fish gently. A hard boil tears haddock apart. Keep the tomato juice at a bare simmer with small bubbles around the edges.
• The fish is done when it flakes easily with a fork. Haddock overcooks fast, so start checking early.
• Adjust the sauce to your taste. More horseradish for heat, more sour cream to mellow it out, more chili sauce for tang.
• Fresh haddock gives the best texture, but frozen fillets work if fully thawed and patted dry first.

Variations

• Use cod or pollock if haddock isn’t available. Any firm, mild white fish works.
• Serve chilled on buttered hot dog rolls for a New England-style mock lobster roll.
• Skip the sour cream in the sauce and add melted butter for a more traditional cocktail sauce approach.