Recipe
Lobster Salad
Courtesty of Chef Robert Dedrick, Maison Carlos
FOR THE DRESSING
1 oz. fresh squeezed lemon juice
3 oz. extra virgin olive oil
For the tarragon oil
3 bunches fresh tarragon
8 oz. pomace oil
FOR THE SALAD
2 large artichokes
1 tomato, cored
2 oz. haricots verts, ends removed
8 asparagus, peeled, hard ends removed
4 live Maine lobsters, 1? pounds each
8 leaves of Boston lettuce hearts
2 oz. mesclun greens
1 avocado, peeled pitted, quartered, and sliced
1 large yellow candy beet, blanched, peeled and sliced thin
1 tbsp fresh chervil, leaves only
Directions
FOR THE SALAD
Remove and discard the leaves of the artichokes. Shape the artichoke hearts with a pairing knife until round and smooth. Bring 2 quarts of water and the juice of 1 lemon to a boil in a large pot over high heat. Add a pinch of salt. Add the artichoke hearts and boil for 20 minutes until tender. Drain and set aside to cool. Scoop out and discard the artichokes, split and slice the hearts. Set aside.
Boil 2 quarts of water, add the tomato for 30 seconds, remove, and cool under cold water with ice. Peel the skin, split, seed. Finely slice the tomato pulp. In the same water add 1 tablespoon salt. Plunge in the haricot verts for 6 minutes. Drain and chill them in ice water, then drain again. Cut each asparagus in 4 1-inch segments and discard the rest of the stems. Set aside.
Bring 2 quarts of salted water with yellow candy beet to a boil, reduce to a hard simmer for 35 minutes until tender. Cool in ice water, peel, slice ? inch rounds, set aside.
Bring 1 gallon of salted water to a boil. Plunge in the lobsters, cover, poach for 12 minutes. Remove the lobster and chill them in ice water. To remove the lobster meat, break off the tails and claws. Crush the shells lengthwise in a fan shape by making 4 slits lengthwise ? up the tail.
FOR THE DRESSING
Mix together lemon and extra virgin olive oil in a bowl
For the tarragon oil
Boil 1 quart of water in a stock pot, add the leaves only to the water for 30 seconds, cool in water. Drain the water from the tarragon. Squeeze out all liquid. Place the tarragon in a blender at high speed and slowly add the pomace oil. Continue to puree until bright green 2 minutes, strain through a chinose. Set oil aside.
Presentation
Arrange the Boston lettuce leaves and the mesclun on the center of each plate. Build a mound with even amounts of haricots verts, asparagus, sliced beets, sliced artichoke hearts and avocado on top of the lettuce. Glaze the salad and vegetables with the lemon dressing. Place a lobster tail over each dome of vegetables with the claws on top. Glaze lobster with tarragon oil. Sprinkle with sliced tomato, chervil leaves.
